Alone in the Dark
by Vaname'sGurl
Summary: Three hundred years ago, we all know of the white-haired boy who awoke on a frozen lake. But who knows of the black-haired girl who helped keep him sane? Here's the story of the Guardians, but also the Protecter-the unknown hero. (T for violence and blood, possible romance! , and maybe language(longer summary on the inside) I don't own RotG, only my OC! Please R
1. This is how it Starts

**Summary: Three hundred years ago, we all know of the boy with white hair who rose from the ice. We know the main story of the Nightmare King and his Nightmares who rose to challenge the Guardians, and how he was defeated by his foes. But who ever said that was it? What makes people think that he could _only _make the horses? Well, he could do more. _Much _more. After all, he thrives off the fear of children, and what's scarier than snarling wolves, angry bears, hunting sharks, or striking snakes?** **Well, there is one girl who fights against the Nightmares and shadowlings themselves. She is the wall that keeps the mini-series safe at night and the dreamsand unaffected. She protects the children. Three hundred years ago, she was awoken and told that she was created to fight-to be the Huntress, the Queen of the Dark. What she was not told, however, was that she would one day meet Jack Frost, the other unknown spirit. Soon, she is called upon for the biggest fight of her immortal life, as is her friend. But, when Jack is made aware of his best friend's secrete life as the Huntress, will he be able to convince his new family to help her? Or will he lose her to the darkness that she has warred against for so long.**

** Sorry for the long summary, I enjoy rambling. I hope you enjoy! Read and review, please!**

CHAPTER ONE:THIS IS HOW IT STARTS

The moon shone down upon a grassy clearing, next to a river, where a girl stood. She had hair blacker than the night, and green eyes that seemed to glow, and see right through you. She was talking, seemingly to herself.

"What do you mean, immortal?" She asked, "And what do you think I am, a warrior?"

A reply seemed to sound, one that only she could hear. "Alright, so there's a nightmare king, who's evil," she murmured to herself. "and he rules over many beings, all made of darkness." She suddenly paused and grumbled, "Alright, alright. So all of them really change from solid forms to shadow. They feed off of fear, but they rule the night, unchecked. That about sum it up?" Above the trees, the moon seemed to agree by glowing brighter.

"And you want _me_," she continued, disbelief finally entering her tone, "to be the one to fight back? Behind the scenes work? Forever?" Again, the moon brightened. "So, tell me this, then, Manny. Why should I spend all of eternity fighting monsters to help save bratty kids? Especially if it means I could spend all of my immortality trapped and tourtured if I get caught?"

In her head,another response must have been heard, for she again spoke to the sky. "What do you mean, it'd be worth it? Kids'll believe in me? Why should I care whether or not I'm seen?" She didn't seem satisfied with whatever response she heard because she snarled, "Why should I give it time? I don't think I'll ever understand."

After a long pause, she finally began to nod slowly, while speaking a few terms to herself. "The Huntress . . . Queen of the Dark . . . Respected worldwide . . ." She was quiet before she spoke for the final time. "Alright, I'll be the Protector. But because I want too, not for the kids. Deal?" The moon seemed reluctant when it flew this time. But it did, and the deal was made.

At a pond within a forest, the full moon shone down on the frozen surface. Suddenly, a figure appeared, slowly rising. The young man broke softly through the ice, then floated until he was upright. He stood upon the suddenly refrozen surface, and breathed heavily. He looked at the moon, then down at himself. He wore a simple white shirt with a brown vest, and some brown pants. He tried to take a step, but wound up nudging something with his bare foot. He looked down to see a staff, like a shepard's crook, laying on the ice. He picked it up and jumped as it glowed blue. When he jumped, an end had touched the ground, and frost had spread from that point.

Gaping, he bounced to his feet. Then he walked over to a tree and tapped it with his staff. Frost spread, more beautiful than a flower blooming. He laughed and bounced slightly in excitement. He tapped another tree, then turned and went back to the pond. He kept the curved end of his staff on the ice as he raced around, spinning and spinning in elegant, and yet crazy, circles, sending frost all over the surface. Once he reached an end, the wind suddenly swept him up, taking him far above the pond to see his handiwork.

He grinned, but then the wind stopped. The boy dropped like a stone, and thudded on some branches. Wheezing slightly, he picked himself up and gazed off into the distance, to where he could see a town.

Before he took off, he relished his name one more time.

_Jack Frost._

Go forward a few hundred years, and you'll see the girl again, laughing and running from something. A snowball slammed into a tree next to her head as she dodged through the trees of a small forest.

"Come on Jack!" She paused, hardly panting, and turned to call through the trees. "You'll have to try harder than that!"

"It's not fair that you're so unusually agile!" Protested a young man with snow-white hair and icy blue eyes. "How did you become so fast?"

"I've told you, Frost," grinned the girl, "I'm the Protector."

"Xi!" He whined, "You _know _that means nothing to me! I know who and what the Guardians are, but I have no clue what a Protector is!"

"Well, duh!"The girl snorted, as though that was obvious. "That's because we're the only two people to _ever _know of it! And, I'm the only Protector to ever walk the earth."

"So, what _do_ you do?" This was the most his old friend had ever told him about her duties as, what she called herself, the Protector. Hopefully, she would tell him more.

"Well, I work to fight against the Boogeyman's allies, the ones the Guardians don't even know exist. And, I'm just naturally awesome." She pulled a face and laughed. She knew that Jack was her only friend, and she valued how understanding he was, but she didn't want him to think her any stranger then he already did. So she always tried to avoid the topic of her life.

"Ximena." Jack said, unusually serious. "It's not fair that you know _every _detail about me, but I know next to nothing about you-well, what you do, anyway."

"Jack," Ximena replied, "you know I don't like to talk about it. So can we just go back to throwing snowballs at each other?"

"Yeah . . ." The white-haired boy agreed reluctantly. "Sure!" He then ducked to avoid getting hit in the face with a snowball.

Later, when the moon had risen above the trees, Jack was floating around a small town called Burgess. He landed upside down beside a window, and watched a boy, his little sister, mom, and dog getting ready for bed. He watched until his breath frosted the glass, then flew off. He walked along a rooftop, then stopped to look up at the moon. He was so lost, and lonely, and so confused. Why was he alive? What was he meant to do? Was Ximena supposed to help him?

A hundred or so years ago, he had been racing through the forest, trying to catch a snowflake in a game with the wind. Then he had suddenly been knocked to the side by something huge, angry, and _warm._ It had scared him, and he had lunged for his staff, that had been knocked out of his hands. Before he could even see what was trying to kill him, a shout had sounded and something sliced through the air. It embedded itself in the thing's side, and he saw the hilt of a throwing knife. Then the creature had vanished, and he turned to see the most beautiful girl in all of history.

She had hair darker than the night, and such beautiful green eyes . . . They still took his breath away. She had strode towards him, and he thought himself invisible before she had grumbled how close he had come to dying.

"You . . . Can see me?" He could hear the disbelief in his tone, but at the time he didn't care.

The girl nodded, picking up her blade. "Obviously."

"Do . . . you, I mean, you know who I am?" Nowadays, he mentally kicked himself for being so pathetic.

" 'Course." She told him. "You're Jackson Frost."

Now, he wondered why her responses were so curt and unrevealing. She had been so clammed up, and so . . . _serious, _like she'd never had a day of fun in her life-didn't even know what fun was!

So he had spent so long prying open her shell, and getting her to laugh and smile, although she preferred hiding from the world. Even the Guardians, or other immortals. He sort of understood that. After all, he wasn't even on speaking terms with the Easter Bunny(who was more kangaroo than rabbit), much less the other spirits, but he still wanted to be seen by kids, wanted to be believed in.

Ximena, on the other hand, didn't seem to feel anything along those lines, and she didn't even seem to want to see any kids. At least she was willing to help him work to be believed in.

He turned and took off, after having a heart-to-heart with the Man in the Moon, called Manny. He continued along some power lines, with his hood up, when he caught sight of a trail of golden, glowing dreamsand. He pulled down his hood in amazement.

"Right on time, Sandman." he muttered to no one in particular. He laughed and jumped up to touch a strand. It turned into a dolphin, and grinned at the sight of his favorite animal. Soon, however, the sand faded out for the night, and Jack started off down an empty street.

A swift movement swished past him, and he shot off to a tree. It flooshed by again, and this time he tried to follow it, and leapt from car to car, then down an alley. He had his staff at the ready, and narrowed his eyes warily. A noise sounded behind him, and he snapped around.

"Been a long time, mate." Jack snapped around to see the six-foot tall rabbit known as the Waster Bunny.

"Bunny?" Jack said, grinning. He pretended to let his guard down, and leaned on his staff.

"Blizzard of '68, I believe. " Bunny carried on, tapping his boomerang on his lip. "Easter Sunday, wannit?"

"Aw, you're not still mad about that," Jacks asked, "are ya?"

"Yes." Bunny snarled, tensing for a moment. Then he slipped back into his nonchalant state, and said, "But this is about somethin' else. Boys?"

Suddenly, the ground disappeared beneath Jack as he was scooped up by two yetis. "Hey!" He protested, "Put me down!"

They did. Right into a sack. Jack did not stop struggling, not even when the yetis paused to say something to Bunny, and not when he felt himself soar through a magic portal.

In the middle of the night, in a back alley, nothing but a flower in a sea of concrete remained from the magic that had occurred there just moments before.

Away from any city, deep in the forest, Ximena was pacing in a clearing. She was waiting for something, although she didn't really know what. All she knew was that she was called here, just as she was called two nights ago to deal with a Nightmare.

while she paced, she remembered that day she met her closest friend, Jack Frost. She had been called by that strange feeling in her gut, like a stone being pulled, pressing on certain sides of her belly, telling her where to go. When she arrived, she had only seen the shadow wolf about to eat something, although she hadn't known that it was Jack. So she had thrown her knife, aiming for the sweet spot, the shoulder. And she had made her mark. Fortunately, it hadn't gotten Jack as well.

She had been cautious of the boy at first, although she had simply adored his beautiful blue eyes from the very beginning. That, and his perfect smile, his amazingly awesome tousled hair, and his laugh . . . Everything about him had attracted her, straight from the first time she laid eyes on him.

But she had never been around other people before, and had no faith in anyone, no trust for anything in the world, other than the moon. Then she'd met Jack Frost. He'd won her over with his charm, but it wasn't until she finally understood him that she fully trusted him.

They had been having another snowball fight when a few kids had come through the trees, laughing and joking. Jack had been interested, although she had longed to flee. But she could see that he wasn't going to leave, not while there was a possibility that these kids could see him. He had started a snowball fight between them, and had laughed, playing along. She had hide up in the trees, watching the whole scene with a fond smile. Then the whole thing had been ruined. Jack was overjoyed by the fun that he had made, but then a kid had ran straight towards him. Instead of seeing him, however, he fled straight through him. Jack once again felt invisible.

She sighed as she slowed in her pacing. The feeling she always got when a monster was nearby was growing, a sense of anxiety, as though butterflies were trapped in her ribcage. Smirking, she crept off to the side of the clearing, blending into the darkness.

When she had been first made Huntress of the Dark, she had immediately been gifted with multiple gifts. One was an uncanny ability to go unnoticed by foes, she could see in the dark as though it was day, could fly, was extremely agile(much to Jack's complaint), and had a bunch of fighting techniques.

Suddenly, her prey slipped through the clearing, in solid form. It seemed to be leaving the town from miles away, but that didn't register with her. Ximena was too busy taking off after it. The mare raced around, almost faster than sight. Almost.

As it was, the girl with black hair was able to keep up with surprising ease. She followed it for a distance, then suddenly lunged. She had produced a blade, gleaming silver, and plunged it straight into the evil beast with glowing yellow eyes.

It dissolved from beneath her, and it took all three-hundred years of her experience to stop automatically, although it took no effort from her.

She leaned closer to examine the beast. This one looked fresh, the sand a tad more . . . fresher? She couldn't recall what word wold fit, although she noticed it had a healthier sheen then the last mare she had got. It seemed stronger, too, although it was caught off guard. Perhaps something big was happening? Was . . . Pitch couldn't be rising again, could he?

Ximena swiftly banished the thought. She found that if you think something, it would happen. Especially if it was negative. So, she decided to go off, and try to find herself a comfortable sleeping place. As she was flying off, the sudden butterflies-in-her-stomach feeling hit her so hard it almost knocked her out of the sky. She grunted, and flew off towards a small town. What she saw there made her actually knocked her out of the sky.

Hundreds of thousands of sahdowlings were coming together and merging into one, huge, dark, swirling cloud of evil. Now one, it headed towards a sewer drain, and slipped through the bars. She paused, horrified at what this meant.

It was finally time, after hundreds of years, to rise against the full army of Pitch Black, the Nightmare King. And she would probably never make it out alive.

At the Pole, in North's sitting room, a portal opened and through it appeared a yelling, red sack. Two yetis followed, then it closed. In the room, the Queen of the Fairies was fluttering around, giving directions to her mini-fairies, while the golden Sandman floated, sleeping. The owner of the Workshop, North, was facing the sack and tried shushing the Queen, called Tooth.

The sack opened, and Jack peered out. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of the Big Four, just as Bunny came in.

"Woah . . ." He breathed, then struggled as some yetis picked him up. "Hey, hey, put me down" When he was set down he kicked his staff up and caught it with fluid movements.

"Jack Frost!" North yelled joyfully. "I hope the yetis treated you well?"

"Yeah," Jack replied sarcastically. "I love being shoved in a sack and tossed through a magic portal."

North, oblivious to sarcasm, cheered, 'Good! That was my idea!" He then turned to gestured to the six-foot tall Pooka. "You know Bunny, obviously." The Pooka grunted.

"Obviously." Jack agreed.

"And the Tooth Fairy." North continued. Tooth zipped over to get in Jack's face, her excitement overwhelming.

"Hello Jack! I've heard a lot about you," She told him, "and your teeth!"

"M-my what?" he asked, totally lost. Tooth didn't hesitate to invade his space further.

"Open up!" she commanded, opening his mouth for him. "Are they really as white as they say? Yes! Oh, they really _do _sparkle like freshly fallen snow!" Satisfied for the moment, she pulled back. One of her mini-series screamed and flew closer as Tooth scolded, "Girls, pull yourselves together. Let's not disgrace the uniform." She fluttered back beside North as Jack snorted.

"And Sandy." North finished, gesturing to the small, sleeping man. Nudging him genteelly, the big Russian tried to awake his old friend. "Sandy! Wake up!"

At his shout, the Sandman awoke. He blinked and settled on the ground.

"Uh, anyone wanna tell me why I'm here?" Jack asked, pacing. Sandy raised his hand, a series of images flashing to fast for anyone to read. "Thanks, but not really helping." Jack told him.

Jack looked at the others, the asked, "Am I on the naughty list?"

"Naughty list?!" Laughed North, "You hold record! But that is in past. We overlook. Now, we are wiping clean the slate."

"Why?" Jack asked, bemused.

"That's a good question." Grumbled the Pooka.

"Why?" exclaimed North, '"I tell you why! Because now, you are Guardian!"

"What?" Jack was now _so_ beyond lost. His question went unheard, however, as elves came into the big room, all playing instruments. Two yetis twirling fire moved with surprising grace, circling the winter spirit, and came to a rest behind him. Jack declined a pair of min-fairies offering him a floral necklace. Suddenly, he felt something tugging on his torn pants. He looked down to see a bossy looking elf point to him, then to a pair of blue, pointy-toed shoes. He turned his overwhelmed mind to focus on the Guardians, and saw North begin to open a giant book.

He didn't want to be a Guardian! Why should he be penned up, bribing kids to believe in him? And why should he help _them, _when all they had done was ignore him, and scold him? They had some nerve! He scowled and raised his staff. He slammed it down, spreading frost all over the floor. His old friend, the wind, helped by blowing out the torches and giving him some breathing space.

"What makes you think I want to be a Guardian?" he spat.

"North and the others paused, shocked. Then North threw back his head and laughed his great, big belly laugh. "Of course you do." He told Jack. "Music!" He cried, snapping his fingers.

The elves started again, just for Jack to yell, "_No _music!" One frustrated elf threw down his instrument and knocked his buddy over as he left.

"Look," Jack told them, "this is all, uh, flattering, but you don't want me. You're all hard work, and _deadlines, _and I'm just . . . snowballs and fun times. I'm not a Guardian."

"That's exactly what I said!" Bunny agreed. Tooth fluttered over to Jack.

"Jack, I don't think you understand what it is we do." She gestured to the giant Globe behind him. "Each one of those lights is a child," Tooth began the story.

"A child who believes." North picked up the tale. "And good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect them."

"Argble," Jack said.

"Tooth, fingers out of mouth!" North chided.

"Sorry!" Tooth said, pulling away from the winter spirit. "They're beautiful." She told him before fluttering off. North carried on.

"Okay, no more wishy-washy! Pitch is out there, doing who knows what!" Jack looked at him, curious.

"You mean the Boogeyman?" he snickered.

"Yes!" North said. "When he threatens us, he threatens them" - he pointed at the Globe -"he threatens them as well."

All the more reason to pick someone more qualified." Jack told him.

"Pick? You think we pick?" North was losing his temper. "No, you were chosen, like we were all chosen. By Man in Moon."

"What?" Jack gasped, shocked.

"Last night, Jack," Tooth told him genteelly, "he chose you."

"Maybe!" Bunny added swiftly.

Jack ignored the Pooka and narrowed his icy eyes at North. "The Man in the Moon? He talks to you?"

"You see, you cannot say no," North said. "It is destiny.

Jack felt like his mind was going to explode from information overload. He asked nobody in particular, "But why wouldn't he tell me about that himself? After three hundred years, this is his answer." Jack felt his anger rising. "To spend eternity like you guys, cooped up in some hideout, thinking of new ways to bribe kids?! No, that's **not **for me!" He swiftly pulled himself together to add, "No offense."

"Ho-how is that not offensive?" Bunny was so mad, he couldn't get his words out." "You know what I think? I think we just dodged a bullet. I mean, what does this clown know about bringing joy to children?"

Jack knew that he had to defend himself. He also knew that Ximena would've shredded the Pooka if she were here. "Uh, ever hear of a snow day?" Jack snorted. 'I know it's no hard-boiled egg, but kids _like _what I do."

Bunny retorted, "But none of them believe in ya, do they?" Bunny lowered his voice and growled, 'You're invisible mate. It's like you don't even exist."

"Bunny!" gasped Tooth, affronted. "Enough!"

No," Jack calmed her, "the Kangaroo's right."

"The . . . The what?" snarled the rabbit. "What'd you call me? I'm _not _a kangaroo, mate."

"Oh," Jack scoffed. "And this whole time I thought you were. Well, if you're not a kangaroo,' he leaned in closer so he was eye-to-eye with the 'kangaroo', "then what are you?"

"I'm a _bunny_." Fury rose in the Pooka's voice. "The Easter Bunny. Kids believe in _me." _

Sandy nudged North warningly. The big man stepped forward.

"Jack," he told the boy, "walk with me."

**Alright! So, I'll keep going if you guys want me too! Please tell me what you like and what you hate! Reviews, I love 'em!**


	2. Time for the Truth

**RAWR! Dumb computer reloaded the first chapter, not the second! GAH! I woulda fixed it sooner, but I was kinda grounded. . . Anyway, fixed now! So, I'm gonna allow you to read this, but, first, these little notes: Sorry bout the false upload *smacks computer* dumb thing . . .**

**Thanks for the support! And I love that I now get bacon. *looks at Midnight* I'm talking to YOU, Becky! *chases* oh, wait! *turns around* Enjoy the next installment of Alone in the Dark, and don't forget to review! *continues chase***

Far off, way down south, Ximena was still tracking down a path to the Dark Realm, unaware of her friend's dilemma - or that Pitch was already on the move. She was zooming around town, following her gut, trying to desperately reach the Dark before her foes became too strong. Finally, she came to a brick wall of an abandoned building, where there was graffiti decorating the whole side of a wall. She seemed satisfied and flew right at it. She passed through the shadows and came out into a large clearing.

She knew that, in the Dark Realm, there were no towns, no cities, no villages, no people. Only the darkness. There were no stars, no moon. The sun never rose, and the whole Realm was just the wilderness. At it's center, however, was this huge cave. Within it were the strongest creatures, the most most evil of creatures. They were there to guard the Orb. The Orb was all the fear in all of history, the truth behind Pitch's powers. She knew that if she destroyed, then Pitch would be left with only fear he harvests directly, and that would only allow him to creature Nightmares, no shadow wolves or bears or sharks or snakes or - well, just the mares. She shuddered to think of what was to come.

She couldn't stay still though. So she set off, beginning her long, treacherous journey through the Dark Forest. As she walked, she ignored the shadows darting around her. They were the shadowlings she had hunted for hundreds of years, and they feared _her _too much to attack, or even show their face. They were the few who had seen her fight-and kill-other shadows, not ones she had faced directly before. It's not like she just sends them back to the Realm. They literally just . . . dissolve.

The odd few would try to make her jump, but she would flash her fangs and they would simultaneous decide to live. Her fangs were retractable, and venomous. The venom would paralyze immortal legends, but only for as long as she wanted. It would destroy the immortals' companions, however.

She continued walking, presumably calm. She wasn't afraid, but she knew enough of the Dark Realm to be wary. She was aware of the traps in the Forest, the poisonous insects that swarmed the Dark Plains, the quicksand that would reach out and catch an unaware victim, and the beasts themselves. She saw an eagle, but didn't stay to watch. It was a shadowling, and so big it could easily kill her. She may be immortal, but she could still be hurt-badly, too.

She wondered briefly why she should risk her life to do this. After all, not a single child believed in her, and not a single one ever would. 'Not that you care,' she hastily reminded herself. Ever since she had met Jack, she had come to value his company, along with the Wind. She remembered the day she had first learned that the Wind was a living being-a _male, _to be exact.

She had been talking to Jack, and asked him what the first (roughly) two hundred years were like, him being completely alone. He had just laughed, and corrected her.

"I was never completely alone. Vindur's been with me the whole time." he had told her simply.

"Who's Vindur?" she remembered asking.

"The wind. His name's Icelandic for 'wind.' He's been a great friend." Jack had seemed proud of knowing what language his friend's name was.

"Cool . . ." Ximena hadn't thought of anything better to say at the time, although she had thought it was interesting.

Then Vindur had decided to give her a face full of snow, from the pile that remained of her snow-fort to defend herself in the war that had just ended. Jack had laughed so hard he had fell out of the tree branch above her. That, at least, had made her laugh. That was during the time that she barely trusted Jack, and rarely laughed, or even smiled. She thought about the look on his face, one that she still couldn't place, even now. It was as though he was lost in bliss, but what was there for him to blissful about? All she had done was laugh.

She deftly dodged a vine that swung down, trying to strangle her. She couldn't afford to reminisce about her best friend. So she focused on trying to dodge the treacherous traps of the Forest. She scowled as one slashed her arm, leaving a big gash. What she wouldn't give to have Jack there, helping her by freezing the trees. But she knew that was impossible, and that she would be alone in this Darkness for a few days.

Hours later, she was almost halfway there, after multiple run-ins with the local plant life. She could see the mountain with the cave in it, but she paused nevertheless. She knew that time went differently in the Realm. Right now, it would be only hours Easter Sunday in the town where she thought Jack was.

She took a deep breath, and was about to step out into the large clearing at the foot of the mountain when she heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. Out of the leaves came two very big, cruel-looking creatures. They were some of the shadows that were the strongest. They could shift from a shadow to a solid being. They were some of the only ones that Ximena would have to worry about. Especially since she would be facing who-knew-how-many as she'll venture deep into the cave. She took another deep breath and scanned her new foes.

The bigger one was an eagles, wearing armor made out of bones, the bones of those who had died in very scary situations. Storms, floods, earthquakes, murders, school shootings, the like. This beast wore the bloody bones as armor, able to withstand any attack by instilling fear into it's foes as they tried to break it. Ximena, however, had a totally different view of everything. She had faced these things before, and had been confused when the fear factor had had no affect her. Other than fuel her with fury, that is. Every time she had tried to strike the monster, she had been filled with the images of those poor souls' last moments. She, instead of being afraid as they had, had become furious. How _dare _somebody kill another in such horrible ways?! Some had only been newborns!

At least she knew how to break the armor. All she had to do was find the chink, the only weak spot where two plates didn't cover a spot. Once she found that, it would be bye-bye birdie.

The second, however, was about to make her mission a _lot _harder. It was a shadow snake, and a _bloody king cobra _at that. The shadow snakes were particularly nasty, with all too real venom and faster-than-light reflexes. As much as Ximena hated to admit it, she only ever beat these serpents by luck, and she dreaded the day her luck would run out.

She decided to, in the end, just run out and try to catch the snake off guard. She shot out across the clearing, clinging to the deeper shadows, adrenaline pumping through her. She slammed into the side of the snake, who immediately writhed, trying to reach her with it's deadly fangs. She twisted, hopeful that the two monsters weren't friends, and that the eagle would ignore her. But, no, of course the damn thing just _had_ to turn around to help the serpent.

Ximena dropped to the ground just in time to avoid the snake's tail shooting around, trying to knock her down, and rolled to dodge to eagle's talons. She popped back up behind the bird, and drew her daggers. If she saw the chink, she didn't want to waste time reaching for them. Before she could get a proper look at the large bird's back, the snake went to sink tit's fangs into her shoulder. Luckily, the eagle spread its wings and took off, accidentally sending the snake flying . . .as in across the clearing, not as though it had wings. For that, though, Ximena was thankful.

She soared up after the eagle, hoping that it would stay in the sky long enough to die. Sadly, the monsters were clever. They knew they had to stay together, and proved that they knew so when the eagle flew back to the ground. They seemed aware of each other, and that got Ximena thinking.

'_If they're such a good team, then why knock me back? The bird knew that I would've gotten bit if it hadn't taken off like that. So, what gives?' _Then it hit her. The chink must be on the back! Ever bone monster knew where their chink was, and would defend it at all costs. So, the eagle must've panicked, and she figured that she would only have a slim chance to find it for real.

She saw an opening as the snake and eagle began to circle, and dove straight down. She went so fast that a normal human would've missed it, and slammed straight into the giant bird. The breath was knocked out of her, but she ignored it and searched desperately for the chink.

'_Where is it?!' _she screamed silently, desperation taking it's hold._ 'It has to be here! There!'_ She saw it, a minuscule break in the bone-armor, and plunged her daggers into it. The creature let out a screech so full of agony, so painful, that Ximena staggered back slightly. It had been about a hundred years since she had last dealt with a bone monster, and she had all but forgotten the dying part. The other fearlings didn't make a sound when they died, they just dissolved. Ximena suddenly rolled to the side, having been the Huntress for far too long to be thrown off by a sound. The snake had struck the ground where she had been standing just a heartbeat before. She snarled, her fangs sinking into place. She had her most powerful weapon, one that she only used in desperate moments. She used it now, knowing that it wouldn't have a lasting effect.

Her eyes suddenly became blacker-than-black, as dark as the worst nightmares themselves, and darker. They seemed to suck the life out of _everything, _and the monster, meant to make grown men cry for their mothers, froze in the purest kind of terror, unable to move. Ximena stopped the Stare, and lunged for the beast. She didn't much fancy biting it, so she used her daggers again. Like the majority of beasts, the snake disappeared without a sound. She sighed, thinking of the terror that had been caused just by her glance. She wondered if she was scary to Jack, but that he ignored it because he was so lonely.

She, once again, shook off such distracting thoughts. She didn't even care what the winter spirit thought, right? She didn't trust herself to respond truthful to that, so she didn't. Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her pounding headache. She avoided using the Stare because it left her weak with a migraine. But she didn't have time for this. She continued to walk, and the closer she got to the mountain, the darker it became. She glared at the shadows, wary of the noises that alerted her to the presence of shadowlings. At her glare they decided to leave.

She kept marching, wishing that she had something to occupy her mind, other than the annoying reminiscing about Jack and Vindur, her only friend's in the world. She recalled countless snowball fights and talks. She knew that she'd miss her old friend, but she knew that she couldn't back away. If she did, the darkest shadows she'd fought against for hundreds of years would break free, and he would be hurt. With the thought of protecting her friend motivating her, she picked up the pace. Within hours, she would be deep in the maze, and fighting every child, immortal, and adults' worst fears. And she knew that, despite what the adults told everyone(including themselves), their fears were all too real, and it was her job to fight against them until her last breath.

Not breaking stride, she set off again. After facing the snake and eagle, she was more cautious. She might be unnaturally strong, but that didn't mean she was invincible. The girl shuddered to think what would happen if she didn't manage to destroy the Orb. She couldn't fail, lest the world be overcome by the Dark. She didn't know what would happen, exactly, if she failed, but she knew that it would be anything but good-especially if Pitch was rising. Scowling at the thought, she trudged forth, unwilling to pause.

An hour or so later, she came across another set of bone-armors. This time, she paid them no heed, and carried on. Faintly she remembered a time, long ago, when she was still getting used to Jack's games-back when she had never known anything other than monsters.

He had bent down and scooped up a handful of snow, rolling it into a spherical form. He tossed it up and down in his hand.

"Wanna have a snowball war?" He had asked. 'War' she understood. What a snowball was,however, she had no idea.

"Um, a what?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound so stupid, as she did in her head. But, then again, why should she care?

"You don't know what a snowball war is?" Jack asked as though she had just grown a second head again(the first time had been when she got the Man in the Moon _really _pissed, and he had done it temporarily. But that's a whole different story.)

"Well . . .no." Ximena had struggled slightly to make sure her tone wasn't so defensive.

"Wow . . ." Jack mumbled, shaking his head. "What do you do, then, that keeps you too busy to know what a _snowball_ is?"

"None of your business." This time, her tone was _very _defensive. Jack just shrugged it off, however, and tossed it in the air again.

"A snowball is this!" Jack's tone was bright, and he spoke calmly, despite the glare Ximena had been shooting at him. "A snowball war is when you have two or more people throwing snowballs at each other. It's fun, and you can even make a fort! So, wanna have one?"

She paused, hesitating. But the look he gave her was so inviting and so charming, she couldn't resist. "Sure, I guess." she mumbled, shrugging.

Jack let out a whoop of glee, and jumped for joy. 'Had he lost his mind?' she wondered, tilting her head to one side. She figured that, by seeing how excited he was to throw stuff at her, she was going to regret this.

And, thousands of snowballs and many freezing shots to the face, she had. Although she swore vengeance for tomorrow.

Now, she held onto that memory as though it was a lifeline. She treasured the look of glee on his face when she had, shivering, challenged him to another match the next day. All too soon, she arrived at the mountain, the cave opening directly in front of her. She heard the growls and hissing of the beasts within the darkness, and she scowled. Why, why, _why _did all bad things happen to people in the dark, while they were alone? Why couldn't bad things happen in a pretty meadow, with a crystal clear pond, and a happy full moon? But _nooo . . ._ It just had to be inside a dark, dank, evil mountain, and it's all begin with a cavern. She'd be stuck finding the opening to a twisting maze, where she'd be stuck for a while.

She scowled deeper as she thought of why she was complaining. It used to be just fighting, fighting, sparring, and fighting. It was only ever her and her duty, no time for anything, no friends, and certainly no time for fun. Hell, she never even knew what fun was! It was only ever her and protecting everyone else, although she'd never gotten recognized for it. But she'd never minded.

And then along came Jack. The white-haired boy had taught her to laugh, to smile, to enjoy life. He made her love blue, snowy days, and even made her love to laugh-something she hardly ever did, because she'd only ever heard the darkest, most feared laughter of everyone's nightmares. Although she was never scared, that didn't mean that she wasn't bothered. As a matter of fact, she hated it.

She sighed faintly, recalling his soft chuckles and his full on, joyous laugh. Suddenly, she violently shook her head. What was she thinking?! She was the_ Huntress, _the Queen of the _Dark._ She didn't have time to . . . fall in love? Was that what this is? What did love feel like anyway? Was it like walking on thin ice, mysterious, unnerving, exhilarating? If so, then . . . She was in love with Jack Frost.

Ages away, off in a part of the world only one human had ever seen, Jack was sitting next to the Easter Bunny.

"Sorry about the whole Kangaroo thing." Jack said, kind of mumbling.

"It's the accent, innit it?" Bunny asked, and they both chuckled softly. A little blonde girl was snuggled with Bunny, and she let out a yawn before slipping into sleep. The Tooth Fairy, North, and Sandy came over, and Tooth breathed, "I love her . . ."

"We had better get 'er home." Bunny said, rising to go.

Jack hopped up, offering, "i'll take her!"

"Jack," protested Tooth, "Pitch is-"

"No match for this," he reassured her, holding his staff out. "Trust me! I'll be quick as a bunny."

Soon, he was flying to her house. He opened the window, and climbed in. His new friend, Baby Tooth, was there with him. He tried to gracefully put her in bed, but the small child had a surprisingly strong grip. He struggled for a bit, before she finally broke off. Jack was already turning away when she fell out of her bed. Jack cringed, glancing at Baby Tooth, then threw a blanket on her, then her tiny toy.

He thought of what Xi would've said had she been there. She would have laughed, the kind that was sweeter then birds singing, or the wind whistling. It would make him melt(in a good way), and he'd grin right back. He wanted to be done with this Pitch business, so he could return to his old friend, the girl with the black hair who made him feel better than a family could ever make him feel.

Jack was outside, shutting the window, when he said to Baby, "Maybe we should head back now . ."

Suddenly, a voice rang in his ears. "Jack!" It was the voice of someone he knew, someone important. He froze, listening. It called again. "Jack!"

Without hesitating, he took off for it. He shot through the woods, poor Baby thinking that the boy must've snapped.

Soon, he arrived at a broken down bed, covering a dark, deep hole. Jack hesitated, but again the desperation to find the voice drove all else from his mind. He raised his staff, and began breaking the boards, ignoring BT's warnings and tugging. After he broke through, he jumped through it, into the dark.

What they found would haunt them for ages.

Hundreds of thousands of mini-series were caged, like they were just simple birds! Their powers were gone, and despair seemed to thicken the air around them. Then, all over the ground were memory boxes, so many that they seemed to be mountains. The whole sight of the boxes just laying there, disregarded, filled Jack with shock. Tooth and her minis had always tended to the memories with the utmost care, and he knew the sight would fill her with despair. The vision of her caged varies would, however, bring the wrath of the Queen down upon Pitch.

Jack shot from cage to crowded cage, hushing the now-hopeful fairies, promising to get them out. Burt then, again, the voice called his name. He immediately flew over tho the piles of memories, searching desperately for his. Then he heard Pitch laughing.

"Always so desperate, weren't you?" the Boogeyman sneered. "Why don't you just give in? It's what the Guardians expect. So, why let them down?"

"Shut up!" spat Jack, whirling to face him. He wore a pure black cloak, had yellow eyes, pale gray skin, and black hair. Not to mention pointed teeth.

"Better watch your tone, boy." the man growled. "After all, I know you're scared of something."

"You think so, huh?" Jack growled, circling close, hoping to distract him.

"Oh, I know so." Pitch said proudly. "It's the one thing I always know. People's greatest fears. And yours is that no one will ever believe in you."

Jack lost his temper, and shot a bolt of ice at the evil man. Pitch just slipped into the shadows, the reappeared behind him. Jack turned to face him.

"And the worst part is," continued Pitch, "is that you're afraid you'll never know why. Why you, you pathetic, pale big, were forced to be ignored by the world, and to be rejected by all."

"That's not true!" Jack spat, thinking of the Guardians and Xi.

"What are you talking about?" spat Pitch, before he grinned evilly. "You don't mean those Guardians do you? Oh, that's rich! You know that you'll never be accepted by them for real, right?

"Or, are you thinking of that girl? The one you hardly know anything about." Jack gaped as Pitch spoke of his closest friend, a closer friend than even Vindur. "Oh, yes, I know all about that _bitch." _ Jack tensed at his insult, but couldn't speak as her carried on, "I've known her for her whole life, although I've never met her face-to-face-thankfully. After all, she doesn't seem to understand that what she does will never be known by anyone."

Jack knew he was being baited, but for the time being, he didn't care. "What does she do, then?" he asked.

"why, she's the Huntress. She tracks down monsters and kills them before they can reach any of the fairies, dreamsand, or children!" Pitch was delighting in telling Jack all about his dearest friend. "She tracks down my more powerful creations, the others. After all, I do make more than horses! Unfortunately, they're destroyed every time that little brat decides to finish them. She's been to the Darkest places on this earth, and beyond, and nightly risks her life. But has she ever told you this? No? That's what I thought.

"You see Jack, nobody truly trusts you, nor will anybody ever trust you. Not even your closest friend!" Pitch cackled, delighting in the hurt and pain on the boy's face.

"Shut up!" Jack cried, trying to get a grip. Obviously, this jerk was lying! Why should he trust this thing's word?

"Of course, you won't believe me. So, I'll show you." Pitch suddenly raised a hand, and a Nightmare shot forth. It slammed into a second, and they exploded. The darksand swirled around Jack, and he tried to escape. The sand was as strong as a wall, however, and pushed him back.

It's swirling pattern shifted to show an image. At first it was foggy, and all Jack could see was a bunch of deformed figures moving around, and nothing made sense.

Then it all came into focus. It was Xi, her hair waving around her in a mess, and a new scar running along her cheek, still bleeding. She was fighting two giant beasts, one a huge spider and something he'd never seen before. It was sort of human, but it had daggers for teeth, and no eyes. It had no hair, and seemed to be laughing. It was bouncing everywhere, and was enjoying itself. Jack thought it resembled a clown, something he'd only seen once, but surely no clown could be that evil?

The clown seemed to be mocking Ximena, while the spider scuttled closer, trying to get at her. Jack screamed out warnings every time the spider got too close, although he knew she couldn't hear him. He marveled at how easily she could dodge the arachnid, while her whole being seemed to be focused on the demon-clown. His heart was in his throat as, as one, the clown and spider lunged at her. There seemed to be no way for her to get out of those gaping fangs of the spider, or those of the clown. Just when he was positive his old friend was going to die, she suddenly stuck out both arms, her mouth gaping in a scream. The two monsters disappeared, and he saw that she was holding two daggers, pointed outward so it stabbed her attackers. He could imagine her shout echoing around the tunnel she was in. Where _was_ she?

Suddenly the vision faded, and he was alone with Pitch again. He was convinced that Pitch was doing those things to her, and he hated the Boogeyman for it. Breathing heavily from the stress of watching that fight, and from screaming and holding his breath, he snarled, "I'll kill you."

"You can't kill fear, Jack." Pitch told him, smirking. "Besides, if you kill me, you won't get _these_." He produced a golden memory box on it, and the face of a boy was portrayed. He had brown hair and eyes, was smirking, and was Jack! These were his memories, who h used to be! Jack gaped, but didn't dare move.

"Take them." Pitch carelessly threw the box to him, feigning nonchalance. "I don't care. It's not like these'll help you. No one will except you with or without them. Fool."

"What have you done?" Jack was furious as he clutched the memories. What had Pitch done to his memories, to his friend, to his life?

"More to the point, Jack," Pitch growled, "what have _you _done?"

Then he disappeared, leaving the confused winter spirit alone. The Jack remembered; Easter! He took off, trying to catch Pitch in case he tried something. Suddenly, Jack was through a tunnel, and into one of Bunny's tunnels to the Warren. Jack scowled and whirled around to return. He found a wall, as though it had been there for centuries. Jack suddenly recalled something else, someone very important.

"Baby Tooth!" Jack turned around, and froze. Thousands of broken eggs littered the floor, their shells crushed, every single one destroyed. What had he _done? _Pitch's voice seemed to float after him in one last, mocking call;

"Happy Easter, Jack . . ."

**Yeah, for those of you who have seen the movie, you know I didn't do everything right, but WHATEVES! I tried, at first, but then I gave up, so I just went sorta along the lines of the movie. Anyway, hope you liked it! R&R!**


	3. TIME FOR UNKNOWN THOUGHT SOURCES

**I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR THE ENDING THING, IT WON'T MAKE SENSE, BUT I'M SO CAFFEINATED RIGHT NOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYTHING RIGHT NOW. THANK GOD I WROTE THE MAJORITY OF THIS EARLIER, BUT I'M POSTING THIS NOW BECAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO WRITE ANYTHING PROPERLY FOR A WHILE. THI CAFFEINE HAS RUINED MY LIFE, CAUSE THIS JUST HAPPENED:**

**Me:OMG I CAN'T DO THIS RIGHT NOW I JUST PUT(enter spoilers) IN THE STORY, AND I'M SO DONE**

**Her:WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DO THAT**

**Me:I DON'T KNOW I JUST, I JUST . . .JUST DANCE**

**Her:OMG I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU**

**Me:IM SO SORRY**

**Her:HOW CAN I EVEN TRUST YOU**

**Me:I DON'TKNOW BUT IF I EVER GET HIGH YOU WON'T EVEN BE ABLE TO TELL**

**Her:OH?**

**Me:ILL BE JUST AS INSAE, BUT I MIGHT STOP SCREAMING**

**Her:YEAH WHY ARE WE SCREAMING?!**

**Me:I DONT KNOW BUT I JUST PUT THIS WHOLE CONVE IN THE INTRO OF CHAPTER THREE**

**Her:OMG YES!**

** I'M SO SORRY, BUT I DON'T HANDLE CAFFEINE WELL. ANYWAY,SORRY FOR THE RAMBLE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A TEENAGE DREAM, THE WAY YOU TURN ME ON . . . DEAR GOD... HURRY AND READ, BUT I DO LOVE YOU GUYS LIKE A LOVE SONG! ENJOY CHAPTER THREE**

Ximena stood, panting. The clown and spider had just dissolved, and she was still in that damn tunnel. As she had been for the past _four hours_. It seemed to be never-ending, and it didn't even have any turns! Sometimes, Ximena could be as impatient as Jack, as much as she'd hate to admit. She scowled and started walking.

At times during the fight she could've sworn that Jack had been calling her name, or encouraging her, as impossible as that was. It must've just been her longing to hear his voice(or any) that made her imagine it. Or she was finally going insane. She wondered what that'd be like, to be insane forever. Not that she'd know. After all, she wouldn't be sane.

She continued down the tunnel, only her night vision showing the way. The tunnel floor was rocky and uneven, and if she couldn't see, she would've broken something ages ago. As it was, though, she was surprisingly fine, despite the new scar running along her face. She sighed and swiped the blood away for the upteenth time. At least the bleeding seemed to be slowing.

The tunnel suddenly came t a crossroads, and she paused. Left, or right? She was left-handed, but . . . Jack was right-handed. Were those clues? or had she _really_ lost her mind? She tried to see something, anything, but she couldn't decide. Left, or right? Ah, may as well go right, right? After all, it was right! The fact that she thought of that disturbed her. The fact that she smiled disturbed her more. She shuddered and decided to go left instead.

As she walked, she thought of the time she and Jack had crosse some kind of line with the Easter Bunny. It was also the time she had realized what a good friend Jack was.

They had been soaring around town after town, having one of the best snowball wars ever. She had just caused an avalanche on him, and he was trying to make a blizzard strong enough to blast her out of the sky. She was laughing and dodging, and it wasn't until the majority of the U.S. was covered did he get her-hard. The force of it sent her flying straight down, well, falling, into a giant pile of snow. That was really a bush so covered in snow, that it's spiky branches were hidden-until they were poking her back painfully.

Jack had landed, laughing his arrogant butt off. She groaned and rolled off the bush, caused more pain by her defeat and the knowledge that she would never hear the end of it, than the branches that had been digging into her back. Once Jack had calmed down a bit, a hole had opened up in the groaned too close to his feet for comfort. The Easter Bunny had jumper out.

"What's this?!" He hadn't looked to happy, and his bunny nose twitched in the cutest way when he was mad.

"Uh, hi." Jack said. She knew that he wasn't too good at confrontations at the time, and she silently groaned at his lame, clueless response. "i'm Jack. Jack Frost."

"I don't care who ya bloody are!" the Pooka exploded. "What do ya think yer doin'? It's _Easter, _mate, and look what ya done! Who'll want ta find my goodies in this bloody freezing hell?!"

"Well, if anyone _wanted _to actually find them, they would!" snorted Jack, responding with his own fury.

"what's that suppose to mean, Icicle?" Bunny snarled, threateningly.

To Jack's credit, he didn't back down from a fight. "It means that kids only find your 'goodies' to make sure they don't reek up their property around their house!" Jack said, as though it were obvious. "Who wants stupid, colored eggs, anyway? Besides," he added arrogantly, "I can make it snow whenever, and wherever I want!"

She cringed at his superior tone. She knew him well enough to know that he was truly sorry. They hadn't even know it was Easter! But Jack's pride wouldn't let him back down, especially if he were facing someone this angry.

She was just about to stand up, and give her existence away when Jack gave her a glare that said to freeze. She was going to ignore him when Bunny said suddenly, "I'll make ya regret taday, frosty."

"How so, kangaroo?" Jack scoffed haughtily. "Are you going to put me on an egg hunt?" Jack laughed cruelly. ""Oh, please! Not that!" He sneered with mock horror.

"Why you little . . ." Bunny didn't seem eager to waste time fighting, though. Be fore he left, he suddenly paused. "It's not like you coulda thought this up on your own! Who else helped yea? Huh?"

Jack glared at him, for some reason refusing to answer. Why didn't he just tell on me? The fool'll make that rabbit hate him forever! If he told on me, Jack could get away with only a scowl. Instead, a potential friend will hate him forever!

"Oh, that's right." Bunny sneered. I froze, praying and hoping he wouldn't say it. He. Wouldn't. _Dare. _"No one can see you." He did! Fury surged through her. How dare that coward say that, and then flee down his tunnel?!

Jack sighed, and flew off. She had spent the rest of that day following her friend at a respectable pace. She knew that the rabbit's words would haunt Jack for the rest of his immortal life. One day, she vowed, that rabbit would pay.

Now, even the memory caused her anger. And regret. She figured that she was heading to a 'point of no return,' as melodramatic as that sounded, and she wished that Jack would at least have someone else. She knew that Vindur and herself were only there to help him until someone, _anyone _believed. And now, she would be leaving Jack alone, without a clue as to where she was.

She tried to tell herself that that was good, that that meant that Jack wouldn't try to come after her, that he would never come down here. He was till just like a kid, and there was no way she wanted his innocence ruined by this place.

"_XXXXXXXXXXIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMEEEEENNNNAAAA!" _A voice cried out her name, screaming in agony, crying for help.

"Jack!" She didn't stop to rationalize with herself, to tell herself it was a trap. She just knew that Jack was in pain, and he needed her help. No questions. No reasoning. Just Jack. She took off, faster than ever before, so fast that her lips were being drawn back by the speed.

She felt breathless, an agonizing sense of coldness, and yet burning heat, spread through her. She couldn't think properly, and her hands shook-and not from the speed. Her heart didn't seem to be beating, and yet was beating too fast for it too be healthy. Why was she feeling this? What was this feeling? Was this . . . No it couldn't be . . Fear? Not once in her life had she been afraid, not ever in hundreds of years. The moon had made her immune, so as for her to be a proper Protector. If she could feel fear, she would have never been able to Protect anyone. So what was she feeling now? Was her immuneness fading? Or was this a whole different level of fear, something no one had ever expirenced?

She burst into a huge cavern, and she froze. Jack wasn't here. There were only monsters and demons. One of them was just closing it's mouth, it's voice perfectly mimicking Jack's. As the strange feeling faded, her heartbeat returned to normal, and she realized her palms had been sweating. She wiped them off on her black pants, and she narrowed her green eyes. Her head cleared, and she finally realized that she had been tricked. She didn't even have time to curse herself to hell and back before the first beast lunged. It had a long, dark body, like an overgrown centipede, but with a face of a human. The face kept changing, but it wasn't anyone she knew.

At it's side was a large man. He wore a white mask, with holes for the eyes and many small ones around the mouth for air. He carried a machete, a weapon the Ximena hated. It wasn't as elegant as a sword, or as small as a dagger.

Yet another came for her, his face melted, and his red and black stripped shirt torn. He had metal glove-like things, with metal claws running out of the fingers. He wore an evil smirk, and stretched his claws for her face.

All of this happened at once, and she barely had time to breathe a prayer to Manny before she began to fight for her life.

"Please, I need help this time."

"Jack, where were you?" North growled, glaring at him. "Pitch's Nightmares attacked. They-"

"I know." Jack cut him off. He had spent long enough with Ximena to be on his guard. "I was trying to help the fairies. I had found Pitch's lair." He figured he may s well go with the truth, and see where that got him.

"You found his lair?" Tooth breathed, flitting over to them. Bunny was in the field, finally experiencing what Jack had been feeling since he first walked into that village 300 years ago.

"Yeah." Jack confessed, hesitating. Will they listen to him, believe him? Or was Pitch right?

"Why were you there?" North growled.

"I . ." Jack paused. How could he explain to them that voice? The voice that meant so much to him, that seemed more important than life itself.

"Where's Baby Tooth?" Tooth asked, horrified. Why were they all gaping at him with horror and anger? "Pitch . . He-" Before Jack could explain, Bunny came over to him, furious as the day he froze over Easter in '68.

"We should _never _have trusted you!" Bunny roared, raising a fist. He let it fall as Jack stepped back, though. What? Jack was so confused. By now he was no stranger to getting hit, but how could a friend do that? No matter how angry he had ever got Xi(which meant that she would get mad enough to chop down trees or break rocks or scream loud enough that thunder sounded like a whisper), she had never once raised her fist. And he had never done so to her, even if she had infuriated him to the point he'd throw stuff, or blow down houses, or freeze whole towns solid. But, he had never been threatened by someone he had considered a friend.

"Bunny, what . .?" Jack asked, his voice cracking. The anger set in. "You think I teamed up with Pitch?!"

"How else would you have gotten that?" asked Tooth, pain and betrayal showing in her voice.

Jack thought back to a time he was talking to Ximena, hanging out by his lake. He had been wondering why she was prone to violence(they had just finished arguing over what she wasn't telling him), and why she didn't just hit him.

"Because," he answer was hesitant and slow. "I guess . . . Well, I believe that there's a reason for every bad thought or action, every disaster, and every fight. There's a darkness within all of us, and it makes us think, say, or do bad things. Some people are just really good at ignoring it, or taking back what they've done. Others, well . . . They don't get a happy ending.

"I didn't strike out at you because i know better, and I'm your friend." She glanced at him, and he'd smiled. "And I'm prone to violence because I've seen some . . . Well, I know that the world's not so fluffy and perfect everywhere. So, I'm used to just . . . Reacting strongly, I guess. That make sense?"

"Sorta." he'd replied honestly. "But, why don't you want to talk about it?"

"Because, Jack." He knew she was dead serious when she used his first name. "Not every secret is meant to be told, and some secrets are best kept hidden."

"Okay . ." He agreed reluctantly. "Well, why don't you trust people?" It was rare when she would say so much about herself, and he wasn't one to miss his chances.

"Because, I just . . . Know to much about people's bad sides."

"What bad sides?" As far as Jack knew, the only bad thing about people was that they couldn't see him, or the occasional murders-which he really didn't remember(it scared him too much to know that people were capable of that).

"There are people out there, snow cone," her voice was soft, and she was hesitant for some reason, "that will want to take everything from you. They'll be jealous, and they'll trick you. They'll steal, lie, kill, even, all to tear you apart from everything. Then they'll try to approach you, in your darkest hour, and act like they've been your friend the whole time, or that they were only trying to help. Then they'll just keep betraying you, over and over again, and you'll think that you've lost your mind."

"So," Jack was suddenly worried. "How do you know who to trust?"

"You don't, I guess." Ximena shrugged. "I don't go around trusting people with what matters."

"But you trust me!" he argued. He was never good with curiosity, and right now it was killing him.

"True." she agreed calmly. "But that's because, well, I guess that you're just worth it. After all, you've been hurt plenty, but you still smile through it, and forgive, and I guess that makes you a goo, trustworthy guy in my book."

"Alright . ." Jack thought this over for a bit.

"So why do you trust me?" Her question caught him off guard for a second, but he swiftly recovered enough to answer, "That's easy. You're my best friend. Besides, who else, other than Vindur, will I trust?"

And the answers seemed to satisfy them both.

But now, he remembered what she said about bad people the most.

"Because that was Pitch's plan . . !" Jack breathed, looking from the box to Tooth. "He _wants _us to fall apart! He knew that he had my memories, so he lured me to his lair, then he showed me something about Ximena, and that threw me, then he gave me my memories, and he sent me back here to be cast out!"

"Who's Ximena?" Tooth asked him, trying to process everything.

"Uh, wh-what?"Jack asked. Dammit! He said something about her! Great, she'll love that!

"You said something about Ximena. Who's that?" North asked, once again being friendly.

"Does it matter?" Jack asked, trying to remain nonchalant. Maybe if he acted as though it didn't matter, he'd get away without them knowing about her.

"It seems to me as though it does." NOrth growled.

"Look, why're we still talking' to this prat?" Bunny sneered, leering at Jack.

"Because," North said calmly, "Pitch has been guitaring us, no?"

"Uh, you mean playing us like a guitar?" Jack asked, wondering how North managed to mess it up that bad.

"Ah, yes, that is the correct saying!" North chuckled, grinning. "But, point is, Pitch has deceived all of us. Now, we must keep our hens, no?"

"Heads." Corrected Tooth, smiling. "And yes, they're both right. We have to stick together, and push back!"

Bunny didn't say anything, but then he nodded. Jack was shocked when the Pooka reached out a paw to shake. "Truce? We can deal with our differences later."

Jack surprised himself more by accepting. Maybe it was time to let go of the truly bitter feelings, and start a good-natured rivalry-one that Jack'd be looking forward too.

"Good. So, who is this Ximena?" North pushed.

"No one." Jack lied, leaning on his staff. He was mentally planning how to leave to go help her. Somehow, he knew where to go, and he wondered if the moon had told him.

"Liar." Tooth said calmly.

"I'm not!" Jack complained.

"Please," Bunny scoffed. "As soon as North asked ya who it was, ya face went redder than the sunset!"

Jack scowled. "She's just a . . . Friend." Jack mumbled, wishing his face wasn't so red.

"A friend, eh?" Bunny snickered. "So, what was Pitch saying about her?"

Jack scowled. A small part of him wished that they didn't care. But, the larger part, the part that loved that his problems were theirs, so he told them. He told them about some of the good and bad times between them, but nothing too personal, and finished with what Pitch showed him. "So, you see, I have to save her!" Jack said. "I'm sorry,but I have to go to her."

"Nope." Tooth told him. He closed his eyes briefly, thinking the worst thoughts. Great, now he'd have to freeze them all solid, and then they'd break free, and they would chase him down, and godzilla and Miley Cyrus would chase him too, and then they'd force him listen to that Canadian girl named Justin, or something, and it'd be hell, and- "_We'll_ save her." The others, to Jack's shock, nodded in agreement. "Lead the way."

The only thing he could think, as he lead them to save his best friend was, 'Who the hell is Miley Cryrus and Justin?'

**HAPPY LATE EASTER, I HOPE JASON AND FREDDY KUGER DON'T COME FOR YA GUYS I LOVE YOU TO MUCH. SORRY, BUT I JUST GOT TO GET THEREPY, IGNORE MY GRAMMAR. PEEEAAAACCCEE! READ AND REVEIW OR ELSE I'LL HUG YOUR MOMS(OR DAD, AUNT OR UNCLE. FORGET IT, I'LL HUG YOU)**


	4. Just one Touch

**Alright, just cause eI love you guys and I can't sleep, I'm posting ANOTHER CHAPTER! Yaaay! I think, lol. Anyway, I already hugged you guys, you just didn't feel it cause I'm a ninja. Anyway, you ready for this? Are ya? I hope so cause I just worked AGES on this, so I BEG OF YOU to tell me what I'm doing wrong or what you like! And, warning, I did throw in some more of the horror characters. But II think I suck at defining them, so I'll tell you who I've used already/using in the chapter. The demon clown was the clown form the movie It, the machete-man was Jason, leatherface is Leatherface(I think that's what he called) from texas chainsaw massacre, the guy with the melted face was Freddy Kuger from Nightmare on Elm street, the red haired doll is Chuckie from whatever movie he's from, and then I will use a chick named Mary. She's Bloody Mary, a girl from a myth or whatever. If you don't know her story, I'll tell the version I know at the end. I think that's it. Thanks to Becky for the support, and to everyone who's supported me along the way! I love you all!(don't take that in any creepy way, unless I know you. The think of me saying that with a scary face. Cool.) So, enjoy the fourth installment of Alone in the Dark!**

Jack grinned, and bounced up and down in joy. He gave Tooth a hug, The yelled, "Let's go then!"

In the Dark Realm, Ximena was finally losing. She had never lost once in her whole life, but she had come close to it before. But now . . . Now she kew this was it. She had only managed to get rid of the dude with the claws, and machete man, but the centipede was too fast. That, and a creepy doll was clinging to her back, trying to kill her with his kitchen knife. She finally managed to grab the thing's curly red hair, and threw it aside, managing to chop it's head off. It dissolved, with a shriek of fury.

So far, she had only managed to get a few, and she was slowing down. Any second, her body would give in, and she would fail. She could see the Orb, seeming to throb with it's power. She scowled, and tried to make her way closer. Then a guy with a pale, scarred face, wielding a long knife, lunged for her. She dodged to the side, and plunged the machete(stolen from that big guy) into his side. With a roar, he dissolved. Rasping, she turned to see who was next.

Nothing rushed forward, and nobody tried to surprise her. Instead, she was suddenly alone, in a ring of monsters. She didn't feel afraid, despite the look leather face was giving her. He wore a strange, misshapen mask, made of a strange kind of leather she had never seen before. She snarled back, wishing she had the energy to Stare. But she knew that she would probably die from the effort, or at least pass out.

Her legs shook from exhaustion, and she wished her second wind would blow up soon. Like, right now soon.

Suddenly, a woman appeared. She had spiders crawling through her hair, and her pale, grey eyes gleamed with a poser that worried Ximena. She smile evilly, showing long, sharp daggers for teeth.

"My dear, just what do you think you're doing here?" her voice screeched, sounding like nails on a chalkboard. And yet, it seemed hypnotizing too. "Why do you think you need to Protect the children? Do you think that they'll ever know you? Wish for you to come help them when we haunt their thoughts? Do you think anyone will want your help?" She threw head back and cackled.

"What are you talking about?" Ximena sneered, thinking that this chick was _way _off base. The only person Ximena cared about was Jack, right? No, that wasn't true. But it's not like she wanted to be accepted like that. Right?

"Why, I'm talking about how not even Jack asks you for help anymore. You've been replaced. He doesn't care about you! Now, he's totally focused on the _Tooth Fairy._" The woman didn't see Ximena's eyes widen, or at least she didn't show it. "You see, dear, Jack was _never _going to love you! I had hoped that you would be to smart to see that. Instead, you were foolish to think that he would fall for someone with such messy black hair, and the creepiest green eyes ever! Oh, no, no, no." she tsked scornfully.

"Jack wouldn't!" Ximena spat. "He doesn't care about the Guardians! He only wanted to be my friend, and be believed in . . ." Ximena was on the verge of despair, and couldn't help but whisper, "Right . . ?"

"Oh, sweetie . . ." The woman purred, sweeping closer to Ximena. She put her arm around Ximena's shoulders, and leaned her spidery head sympathetically on the young girl's shoulder. "I know what it feels like to be scorned, to be left behind like that."

"Who are you anyway?" Ximena was tense, trying to gather the strength to move away. But she was tired and weak, and the womb seemed two understanding, just like . . . a mother.

"My name," the woman purred, "is Mary." She gentlely stroked Ximena's hair, her voice lifting and falling like a lullaby. "You see, sweetheart, I know what you're going through. Disbelief, hurt, anger, the need for vengeance. But, you can't believe it. So, I'll show you." Mary waved a hand, and an image formed in the Orb, clear as day.

Jack was standing on a patch of ice, with the Tooth Fairy putting her hand on his shoulder. Then they were alone in a bedroom, and Jack was smiling at her. Then they were on a billboard, talking. Whatever was being said, Tooth seemed to be bursting to the seams with excitement. Then, finally, Jack was jumping up and down in excitement, and threw his arms around her in a huge hug. He yelled something after he pulled away, and the images disappeared.

Ximena could've sworn that her heart was torn out and pierced with thousands of arrows, rocks dropped on it, then stomped on repetitively. Her breathing became short and ragged as grief and depression welled up, threatening to overwhelm her.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Mary whispered pityingly. "I know, darling, I know. But I had to show you, or else you would have returned to be scorned and forgotten.

"You know what'll happen for them, though, don't you? Now, they'll live just like a fairy tale. Happily ever after. Maybe a few babies, long centuries of laughter, the companionship of the other Guardians, while you remain in the shadows. Rejected, alone, working to kill monster after monster, and for what? To be ignored, for them to take all the credit, and leave you to _rot?!_" Mary snarled, and Ximena's own temper flared up.

"Of course." Ximena snarled bitterly. "That's how my whole life will be. Who'll forget me next?!"

"I would imagine the Moon!" cried out Mary, despairingly. "No one will ever remember the Huntress, the Protector, the one who saved lives, countless times, and never even received a glance thrown her way! Why, I bet soon only we will know you!" Mary shook her head, shame filling her expression.

Ximena roared, "I deserve more! For hundreds of years, I've fought against the bloody dark, and not a soul knows my name! The only one who did went and abandoned me! He left me alone, alone in the dark!" She was seething. The darkness that she'd fought against for hundreds of years in her mind was finally overwhelming her, all because she'd had her heart broken.

"Of course!" agreed Mary, smiling darkly.

'I deserve recognition! Every child should know my name!" Ximena screamed.

"Obviously!" Mary snarled, pacing around the Huntress. The monster grumbled in agreement.

"Those foolish Guardians should honor me! I could crush all of them like a bug!" Ximena showed that she had regained her full strength by bellowing like a dying buffalo.

"Damn right!" shrieked Mary, fueling Ximena's fire. The monsters bellowed their approval.

"And I'll tear apart that stupid boy and stupid fairy! I'll make them both pay!" Ximena had never known more fury and pain than now, and she relished that she had company to support her.

'But how?" pondered the Protector. "How am I going to accomplish this?"

"That's simple . . ." Mary's voice was suddenly deathly calm as she stood by the Orb, a small, welcoming smile on her face. "Join us. Become our leader. Together, we can achieve all you desire, even more! Join us." The monsters let out a welcoming rumble.

Ximena hesitated. What did she have to lose? All that she had ever loved had turned against her, replaced her, _forgotten _her. So, why not? She knew that if she touched the Orb, the dark side of her would overwhelm her, and her powers would become one with the Orb's, and she would be invincible. All she had to do was just rest her fingers, and give in to the dark. Just . . one . . little . . . . touch.

**No.** She paused, her fingers inches from the surface. She remained frozen, although her mind was racing faster than Bunnymund, and she thought back two years.

_ It really wasn't that long ago, especially to an immortal such as herself. and she was visiting the Sahara Desert for once. She was flying over some dunes, when she saw something that made her freeze. There was an old, abandoned village, with four or five kids, all alone and starving, rummaging around. For some reason, she floated closer for a better look. The leader, in her eyes, was a small girl with ragged black hair, and sad brown eyes. She couldn't have been much older than nine or ten. She was holding a little boy's hand, who looked so much like her he had to be her little brother. She pulled him forth, saying, "Come on, Kalko. Maybe Derah and Elisa have found something to eat."_

_ "But Serenity," protested Kalko, who was maybe five or six, 'there's nothing to eat anymore, is there."_

_ "Of course there is, silly!" Serenity tried to reasure him, but even she was doubtful._

_ Another pair of kids(so there were only four) walked over. Both were girls, the only difference between them their eye colors. They seemed to be Serenity's age._

_ "Derah, Elisa, did you find anything?" Serenity called, waving. Ximena could tell that they hand't before the blue eyed girl shook her head._

_ "Oh," Serenity's spirits dropped, but only for a second. "Are you sure, Derah?" she asked again._

_ Derah, the golden-eyed one, shook her head. Blue-eyed Elisa said, "We looked everywhere. There's nothing left."_

_ The despair in the voice of a child so young made Ximena angry. How could this have happened? Who could let these children suffer like this?! Then she saw something that caught her eye. She drifted over to it, and saw that it was a fruit basket. She smile, and looked back at the kids. They were hungry, and very small from their lack of food. They couldn't see the shiny apples that were stacked high on some boxes. Smiling wider, she knocked the basket over._

_ The kids jumped at the sound, and then gaped at the fruit. To them, it seemed to good to be true. Then little Kalko looked right at her. He squeaked a little "Thanks" before snatching up two. It touched Ximena's heart that his first thought was to offer it to his sister, and then take a bit out of his. Elisa and Derah didn't hesitate to grab their own._

_ It wasn't until she was sitting cross-legged in the sand that she realized Kalko had spoken to her. She looked closer at the little boy, with juice running down his chin, and saw that he was still looking at her._

_ "Can you see me?" she asked curiously. "Can you hear me?" When the boy nodded twice, she smiled. It surprised her that being seen felt so good._

_ "Who did you thank, Kalko, when you grabbed the apples?" Serenity asked her brother, wiping her mouth._

_ "I thanked the nice lady who knocked them down for us." Kalko replied, reaching for another._

_ "What nice lady?" asked Elisa warily, eyeing the small boy._

_ "That one." Kalko pointed straight at her. "What's your name?" he asked her._

_ 'Ximena." she replied, leaning back against the strong crates behind her. She crossed her legs at the ankles, waiting two be written off as an imaginary friend._

_ "Uh, oookkaaayy . . ." Derah said, shrugging. She looked at Serenity, and mouth out 'imaginary friend, right?' Serenity nodded, and she waited for her friend Elisa to agree. But Elisa wasn't listening, or looking at them. Instead, she was gazing at the spot where Kalko had pointed, where Ximena was waiting. Slowly, her pale blue eyes widened, and she gaped openly at Ximena. Ximena was mildly surprised, and she just grinned crookedly at the kid._

_ "Hey. You can see me, huh?" Ximena asked nonchalantly. Elisa nodded, and Ximena wished that Jack were her to be seen as well._

_ It wasn't long before the other two could see her, and she was helping them. Every night, while they slept, Ximena paced, keeping a close eye on her charges. She protected them as they crossed through the desert, and they loved to tell her about their lives._

_ Serenity and Kalko had lived with their loving parents when some people had invaded their village, and tore everything apart. Their parents had tried to flee with them, but the children had been separated in the chaos of the fleeing villagers. Ever sense, they had been trekking through the desert, trying to survive._

_ Elisa and Derah had only one parent, a father, who treasured them both more than his own life. That had been proven when their home had been raided(they hadn't lived in a village), and their father distracted the invaders so that they could escape. They had seen their father die for them, and tried to survive in honor of his sacrifice._

_ Ximena nearly died for the kids several times, when coyotes had attacked, or when the monsters tried to come after them. Once or twice she had to cover them with her own body during sandstorms, and each time had left her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose unbelievably clogged with the gritty sand. _

_ They were lucky that they survived until they reached the outskirts of some town. That night, since they decided to wait till morning to enter the town, Ximena enjoyed telling them one of her many stories of the Guardians._

_ "And, nowadays, the Tooth Fairy still sends out her tiny little fairies to collect teeth of the children all over the world." Ximena finished, watching their sleepy eyes close. Only Serenity stayed awake later than usual._

_ "Mena?" she asked, using the nick-name the kids had come up for her._

_ "Hm?" Ximena replied, ready to start her nightly watch._

_ "Why aren't you as famous as the Guardians?" she asked, sitting up._

_ "Why do you ask?" Ximena asked, sitting next to the little girl._

_ "Because," Serenity explained, "you've saved our lives, and you guard everything that the Guardians do, and you do it every night. That, and you make us brave. We were one really shy, and would have run hiding from everything that had happened, what with the coyotes, and those monsters. But, you helped us be strong, even when you didn't say anything." She paused, considering, then said, "And that's what the Guardians do. So, why aren't you one?"_

_ "Because, I was chosen to be the Huntress, the Protector, instead. "Ximena told her firmly, hiding the side of her that agreed with the little girl. "But," she couldn't resist adding, "it might happen, one day."_

_ "Can you promise me something?" Serenity asked._

_ "Depends.' Ximena was wary of being forced to promise to become her personal Guardian, or something crazy. She wouldn't have minded, but she knew that she'd be hurt when the kid became to old to believe in her, and she didn't want to go through that. "What is it?"_

_ "Promise me that, one day, when you're forced to go through the final challenge, your greatest challenge, that you'll do this one thing." Serenity said, dead serious. "You'll remember that you're our Guardian, and that you have to become a real Guardian. Okay?"_

_ "Okay." Ximena said, not really believing the kid that that'll happen._

_ "Say it!" she pushed firmly._

_ "Alright, alright!" Ximena relented. "I promise that I'll always remember that I'm you Guardian, and that I'll do whatever it takes to become an official Guardian. Now, go to sleep."_

_ The next day, they had said their good-byes, and the four went off into an orphanage with a kind-hearted woman. Secretly, Ximena had hung around a few days, just to make sure that the kids would be okay. She smiled fondly when she saw that Serenity and Elisa told everyone about the Guardians, Jack Frost, and even herself. Derah and Kalko firmly backed them up, and even the orphanage owner smiled at their tales._

Now, deep in the mountain, Ximena wondered how she could have forgotten that promise. How could she have forgotten brave Serenity, sweet Kalko, strong Elisa, and determined Derah? She shook her head slowly, backing away from the Orb.

A new fury filled her, and with it a strength that shocked her. She would not become a feraling, especially not the ruler of them!

"No." she growled. "I won't." Mary shrieked in fury, and the beasts bellowed in response. "I will not join you!" Ximena roared over the noise, her fury outmatching that she heard in the monsters around her.

She heard a shout echo in the tunnel behind her. Wait, when did she suddenly have nothing but the tunnel behind her? Then she saw something theta made everything, even Mary, freeze. Nicholas St. North, E. Aster Bunny, Toothiana, and Jackson Overland Frost came racing down the tunnel, fully ready for battle. Ximena smirked, knowing that it was Jack who dragged them there, and that she hadn't been left alone by her friend. She just hoped that they'd have enough courage to face these Nightmare.

When they'd come racing through the tunnel, following Xi's scent trail(the Bunny smelled out, not Jack), Jack had no clue what to expect. More clowns and spiders? Some Nightmares? Whatever he thought, he could have _never _thought up what they found.

A whole cavern, bigger than what the mountain even seemed to be, filled with the worst nightmares of every human, and animals too, it seemed(judging by a giant vacuum in the corner, accompanied by a rolled up newspaper). Jack shuddered at the sight of most of them, but he didn't let his fear take control. None of the Guardians did, but they all hesitated, fearful to act.

Then Ximena stepped forward. She smiled at them, her beautiful green eyes gleaming. "'Bout time, Frostbutt." She smirked as she used an old nickname for him, one he detested. "I was kinda impatient."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jack protested. "The kangaroo held us up!" How could she be so calm in the face of such a frightening army? He was terrified, until he looked at xi. She just seemed to radiate courage, like it was a mist, just waiting to wash over you and reassure you. He smiled as he felt his own courage reawakened by the sight of his dearest friend.

The Guardians eyed her uneasily, and she met their gazes calmly. "So, I see you finally get to see what I've protected you and your helpers from for hundreds of years. You're welcome."

She turned to face Mary, who the monsters parted to let through. "What were you saying, Mary? What was that about me being alone in the dark?"

"They are only here to-"

"Kick. Your. Ass." Jack spat, stepping forward. Ximena smirked, giving him a glance. Since when was her old friend so daring? She liked it.

"Why you arrogant, little . . ." Mary started, but Ximena stared her down.

"Do you really want me to use you know what? Especially now?" Ximena asked,tilting her head to one side and giving the monsters a meaningful look. As one, all of the monsters shielded their eyes of looked away.

Mary, with her eyes covered, cried out, "No! Please, not that. Anything but that."

Ximena smirked. She drew her daggers, and gestured to the Guardians. "Go!" she roared, leading the way to the attack. All throughout the cavern, fighting exploded. The first few were killed without a skirmish, having literally not seen it coming. The rest, however, were ready to fight.

** Alright! There you go! Please tell me whatchya think!**

** The Legend of Bloody Mary(as told by Vaname'sGurl):**

_Once, in Ohio, a young woman named Mary lived happily with her soon-to-be-husband. She loved him with all her heart, and she thought he loved her too. Instead, he would sneak out at night to meet with a different girl, her best friend. When she found out, she went into a fit of rage. She insulted him, accused him, and threw some things. Finally, he had had enough. He took a knife and slit her wrists and stabbed her stomach. While lay there, dying, he abandoned her to go meet with his mistress. She dragged herself to the bathroom, and tried to stand by the sink. The police found her dead, laying by the sink. On the mirror, in her own blood, she wrote;_

Pretty Mary, Pretty Mary, Pretty Mary

She was fair, fair as a fairy.

She had long, fair, dark hair,

And eyes that saw him everywhere.

In her bedroom, in the street,

Even in the places where they meet.

Lonely Mary, Lonely Mary, Lonely Mary

He loved another, not his fairy.

She was sad, and very mad.

So she did something very bad.

Angry Mary, Angry Mary, Abgry Mary,

Dead now, long gone, no longer scary.

She shouldn't have screamed, shouldn't have raged.

She should have obeyed, and stayed engaged.

She shouldn't have fought, she shouldn't have beg.

She should have given in and gone to bed.

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary.

_The officer in the bathroom didn't get to see the morning of the next day. He had gone to the bathroom, and never come out. Three weeks later, after word of Mary's death had spread, a young boy and his two friends had gone into the bathroom to try and talk to her. They tried saying Bloody Mary three time, and then the boy's mother heard the screaming. The police found the three boy dead, their stomachs stabbed and wrists slit. Now, if you go into the mirror, with lights off, and at night, and you gaze into the mirror, and you dare call her three times, you shall not live to see the sun once more._

** Thanks for reading this far! If you have heard it told differently, I'd love to hear how! Please, scare me, I love being scared XD! Anyway, please review, and I'll they to get the next chapter ASAP! PEEEEAAAAAACCEEE **


	5. To be, or not to be? Evil, that is

**Ready for chapter five? So, I figured it's be kind of confusing to just switch between Jack and Xi, so I labeled them. Yay! Also, the whole ~TheProtector~ will be the break between memories, k? That's it, so here's the with installment of Alone in the Dark!**

**Ximena**

Ximena raced around, using her teeth and daggers to hack, slash, and chomp her way to the Orb. She knew that it had to break, but she didn't know how. Not yet, though. As she raced forward, something slammed into her side.

She squirmed, trying to move. The thing seemed to have rammed it's shoulder(or head, it was so bloody blunt) into her back, and was moving too fast to dodge. She finally managed to fall away, and wound up on her back, gazing up at the creature. It. Was. A. _Shark!_ Of course it was. The one bloody creature that Ximena had never even seen, much less knew how to fight. This wouldn't end well, judging by those saw-like teeth.

Scowling, she stood back up. The shark was swimming through air, forget water. She straightened up, ready to fight, when Bunny's boomerang suddenly caught the shark in the side of the head. It whirled around, surprisingly graceful, to see the rabbit catch the weapon out of the air.

"Ay, Sheila!" the rabbit called, his green eyes trained on the shark. "Somethin' tells me the' that there _thing" -_he pointed to the Orb_-_ "needs to be destroyed. I'll watch this bugger. Go get it!"

Ximena was shocked. Never before had she ever had somebody help her, but she wasn't a fool. She took her chance to roll to the side. She popped up, just to have something grab her from behind. She writhed, and finally managed to dig her knife into the arm.

She turned to face the guy with that weird leather mask, and her eyes widened as he raised a big, revved up weapon. His eyes gleamed evilly as he brought it slamming down, and it would have got her shoulder, hadn't she moved to the side fast enough. She turned to face him, anger rising to a new level.

"Really?!" she screamed, rolling to avoid another attack. "A goddamn, bloody, _chainsaw?!"_

This was a whole new level of fury and desperation. Knives, swords, spears, javelins, even throwing knives and some small acid-spitters. But a bloody chainsaw?! That was a whole new low.

She angrily rose from her kneeling position, and leapt forward. She jumped over the deadly chain, and onto the beasts back. He slammed into the wall behind them, and her head banged against the wall. Her vision went fuzzy, but she ignored it. She closed her eyes, and plunged both of her daggers into the man-monster's neck. He crumpled, and she fell. She hopped back to her feet and brushed herself off. She was just bending over to grab her daggers, which she had dropped when the monster crumpled, when something bit her shoulder.

It felt like a fire was spreading through her as the pain overwhelmed her senses for a second. When the red faded from her vision slightly, she realized that whatever was biting her was dragging her away from the sidelines, and straight to the center of the cavern. Why was it bringing her closer to the Orb, which was set in the far back of the cavern?

She looked to the side and saw the shark. '_Oh no,' _she thought,_'Where's Bunny, then?' _

He question was answered when she heard North cry out, "Bunny! What has happened?", and she saw a mini-Bunny hopping over to the large man. They were so screwed . . .

She swiveled, and tried to twist free. She managed to tear free, but not until she heard her skin tear apart. She fell to the ground, and looked up. For the first time in a long time, she worried. She wasn't afraid of dying, although she didn't find the idea welcoming. She shuddered as the large creature circled above her, and she looked around for help. Jack was nearby, shooting everything within sight with ice, and it was working brilliantly. North was fighting, while Bunny tried his best to help in his adorable form. Tooth was being cornered by a giant squid, although she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Jack!" Ximena called, hoping that he'd hear the desperation in her voice. At the same time, however, she heard Tooth yell, "Jack! Help!" Who would her best friend choose? She could only hope that her old friend would see her wound, and rush to her aid.

**JACK**

He turned away from a pack of fish(who, for some reason didn't seem to care that there was no water) with really sharp teeth that he had just frozen solid, to look for Xi. She had just called his name, and he worried. Just then, right as he saw Ximena, he heard Tooth scream for help.

He glanced over to her, and saw that she was cornered by a strange squid thing. He looked back to Ximena and saw her gazing straight at him. She was kneeling, with a giant shark circling over her. He was sure that she must have fought sharks before, and that she was fine. As far as he could see, she didn't look hurt. Tooth, on the other had, probably didn't even know what she was facing. He took off to aid the Tooth Fairy.

He heard a roar of fury and betrayal, but he didn't stop to see who had screamed. He was too intent upon dogging tentacles as he tried to freeze the thing attacking his new friend.

Tooth glanced at him, shooting him a brief, but thankful, look. That earned her a tentacle to the face, and she was suddenly wrapped up in a death grip. Just as Jack was about to leap to her aid, another tentacle wrapped around him, and his breathing was suddenly much more constricted. Just then, a shriek of pure agony tore through the cavern, filled with such pain it made Jack want to go find the source and protect it with all of his strength.

The worst part of the shriek wasn't the pure agony, or the betrayal that seemed to edge it. No, it was the fact that the person making that noise was the strongest, bravest person he'd ever known, and the fact that he knew who it was made his whole world tremble and almost shatter.

Ximena.

**Ximena**

She saw Jack turn away and she roared in anger and betrayal. How could he?! Couldn't he see that she had a plan?! Her eyes weren't afraid, they were confident, and focused. How could he leave her like this?

Suddenly, a wide break appeared in the fighting, and Mary walked through the empty space. She headed straight for her, and Ximena tried to stand to face her foe. It was only then that she realized her ankle was twisted, maybe broken, from when the shark had drug her through the crowded, dangerous cavern. She closed her eyes briefly, and then reopened them to find Mary kneeling right across from her.

"You and your friends have fought with some strength, considering their weakened form. But even the best fall." Mary said, pointing to where North and Bunny were cornered by giant hounds with gleaming red eyes, and foaming jaws. Ximena sighed. She had known the Guardians weren't strong when they'd come to her aid, but she'd hoped that they'd have at least lasted a little longer.

"And now," Mary continued, "your one and only friend has abandoned you to help that multi-colored, ignorant, high-pitch, b-"

"Enough." Ximena was to tired to waste energy on hate, or remembering that heartbeat when Jack had decided that Tooth was more important to him. "I'm done listening to you ranting."

"Well, I only rant because I'm on your side." Mary said innocently. "And you should know something. We watch after one another here. As you can tell, the 'monsters' here" -she used the term monster disdainfully, as though they were anything but- "all work together, helping one another."

Ximena realized that she was right. Ever since she had arrived, all the beasts had teamed up against her, working as one. That's what the dark was good at-teamwork. No matter what, there was no way to turn these monsters against one another, no way to divide them, nothing. They stood for one another, and it made them unstoppable at times.

"See?" Mary smirked. "You know I'm right. And that you know that you have a stronger darkness within you, stronger than most. and that you have fought against it, exhausted yourself resisting, just so you could enjoy the company of one boy. The one boy who left you in your darkest hour. So, why are you fighting, even now?"

Ximena shut her eyes again. Like she had once told Jack, there was a darkness in everyone, and some-many, really-succumbed to it. Some had more darkness than others, and some soon lost all of their light. Or hid it. Ximena had such a strong dark side, the side that longs to join the night, to get vengeance for all the times that the Guardians have taken credit for her work, the side that longed to be known by all, to be feared by everything. The side that she had fought back to the point where she had almost lost her mind, or had almost died from the exhaustion.

"Again, I am correct." the moister-lady said smugly. "So, why not join us? The moon, Jack, everyone you ever met or knew left you alone. They let you fend for yourself, let you come here to die. We would never-have never, done that. Remember, you're the one who hunted us. We never did anything to you. So, why not? You have nothing left to lose. When you have nothing left to lose, you can only gain everything. So, join us."

"I . . ." Mary was right. Ximena had nothing, no one. Nobody, not even little Kalko, had stayed with her through it all. The moon had let her go off on her own, without even a good luck. Jack never bothered to notice the scars on her body, evidence of many fights. The kids she had helped had never tried to call out to her, had never done anything to help her remain strong. Not even that measly promise could provide her with enough resin to continue to fight. It was time to let go of her illusions, the thoughts that she mattered to someone, _any_one, and face reality. Face herself.

She opened her eyes to Mary's outstretched hand. She hesitated, then looked to Jack one last time. He was busy rushing to Tooth's aid, and she knew that he would never even see her take the hand of the dark. Not that he'd care.

At the thought, Ximena scowled and reached to grab Mary's hand. As soon as their hands touched, pain exploded within Ximena's very core.

It was as though a fire was burning deep within her, spreading the pain throughout her limbs, the agony like acid. It was like a thousand fire ants stinging at once, or as though she was wrapped in the tentacles of a hundred jellyfish. It burned worse than the sun, ached worse than a thousand-pound weight being dropped on her foot, and made her scream louder than ever before.

She felt the pain of every tiny little cut to every bullet wound, to every heartbreak to every betrayal. She felt every kind of pain, and she shrieked from the agony of it all. It was unbearable, and she was so lost within the pain that she didn't feel Mary let her go. She did, however, notice that the pain went away.

She groaned, and blinked, dazed. She sat up, crying out as the pain struck her again, only this time mush less. She realized that it was from her shoulder, not whatever had just happened. She gazed up at Mary, who was scowling furiously. Ximena forced herself to stand, refusing to cry out at the pain in her ankle and shoulder. Soon, she was face to face with Mary.

"So, apparently you won't join." The betrayal in Mary's voice confused Ximena.

"Oh?" Ximena snarled. "How do you figure that?"

"You can''t join us. Something in you is so pure that it cannot be corrupted by us." Mary was disdainful, her eyes dark and angry. "You can't even do this right. I guess we'll have to kill you now."

Ximena's eyes widened, but she swiftly took a few steps back, gritting her teeth at the pain shooting from her ankle.

Suddenly, a furry bundle shot through the air. It slammed into Mary, and bounced into Ximena's arms. She gaped at Bunny, who slipped her her blades, hiding them from Mary's view. The small rabbit winked, and said, "No matter, what, I haven't abandoned you, not that I know that you exist now."

Then he leapt off, back into the shadows towards where North was last seen. Although the monsters had stopped fighting completely, that didn't mean that the Guardians were safe. Ximena had to act fast, if she wanted them to live. The better side of her was now in control, and it didn't want to see the Guardians die. At least, not Bunny. He didn't abandon her. Jack and Tooth . . .well, they probably wouldn't care about it either way, so long as they could drool over each other. She turned her glare to Mary, who tried to meet her eyes. But fear won out, fear of the Stare, and she scowled. Mary sneered and tried to lunge for Ximena's throat.

Ximena threw herself to the side, not even pausing to wince at the agony in her shoulder(which she had rolled on), and forced herself back up. She focused on the pain, hoping to gain energy from it. She dodged another plunge, and snarled in response.

Dare she risk the Stare? It would take a powerful Stare to freeze Mary, and she might not have the strength to destroy the Orb. Hell, she didn't have the strength to keep up this dodge-duck-dodge pattern for much longer. She had to risk it. She suddenly locked eyes with Mary, and started the Stare.

The air was sucked out of the cavern, and everything froze. Nothing could move, and no one could breathe. Her eyes were two black, deep portals into nothingness, the black even blacker-than-the-darkest-black. She snarled, the fangs an added effect.

She hadn't realized that she was facing the whole cavern, and ever monster had looked at her-almost. Those that hadn't trembled in terror, their eyes shut, or covered. Ximena stalked through the crowd, killing everything in her way. In just a few paces, though, she came face-to-face with Mary again. Mary's face was a mask of pure terri, and she was so scared that Ximena was sure that fear of that level must hurt. She smirked, and raised a dagger to stab Mary in the neck. Before she did, though, she breathed softly, "Oops."

Mary didn't move, or react. She had been to frozen in horror, and she dissolved without a sound. Ximena's strength was fading faster now, so she hurried, as best she could, to the Orb. She gazed at it, thinking briefly about the horrors stored within.

This is what sensed any kind of fear or discomfort, of any living being, and created it. It stored the strength of the fear, and it then waited for a being to come along and claim it. It had to be a being not created by the Orb, and the only two who could have ever harnessed that power would be herself, and Pitch. And Pitch had already been here. She could tell-the Orb was duller than it should have been. She just knew that it was weak-it was time to be destroyed.

Ximena gathered what remained of her strength, and raised her daggers. She slammed them together to form a sword, and she drove it down the center of the Orb. It cracked, and then exploded.

Well, it didn't explode, not just yet. First, all of the fears and monsters and beasts were turned into shadows, and they were sucked up into the Orb. There was no sound, and there couldn't have been if she had wanted to talk. All the sound and darkness was filling the cavern, and Ximena felt like she couldn't breathe. A part of her was being torn away, dragging her to the Orb, but she wasn't moving. Was this her dark side leaving?

Suddenly, once it seemed as though the whole world had been consumed, the Orb exploded. Shards of it's surface, like glass, flew everywhere. A pace caught her on her good arm, but she hardly noticed. She was bust trying not to be blasted away by the force of the explosion, or to be hit by any more.

Ximena fell against a pile of rocks, her breathing shallow. The world was spinning, and she wondered if she were hallucinating. How else would the Dark Realm suddenly be filled with light, _moon_light? She shook her throbbing head slowly, then gave into the lull of sleep.

**Jack**

He was struggling, shrieking desperately. He had to get to Xi, he _had _to! He tried to freeze the squid, but couldn't even move his arms. He tried and tried and tried, but he just . . .couldn't. The helplessness filled him, and he snarled in fury. How could he be so helpless?! No wonder Ximena had never let him come along, or told him about any of this. He'd have been to helpless to do more than cause more work for her. He sighed, and bowed his head. He couldn't save Sandy, and now he couldn't even help Ximena. Or Tooth, he added as an afterthought.

He tried to writhe free again, but the grip only got tighter. He gasped, trying to desperately get in some air. He heads Tooth call, "Jack! Try to hold him still so I can get us out!"

"That'd take to long!" Jack protested, trying again to shake himself free. Forget Tooth if it meant losing Xi! Where was Tooth for hundreds of years when he needed a friend? And how quick had Tooth been to turn away from Jack in disgust before he had convinced them to help him? Too quick for him to treasure her more than Ximena. How selfish was he to realize this, and it took what sounded like Ximena's death? He hated himself sometimes. And then there were times like now, when he wished he could unburden everyone, and die. But he couldn't, not when he might be able to help her.

He kept struggling, and it was only when he heard Tooth whisper, "Oh, Ximena . . ." that he stopped. That could only mean one thing. She must be dead.

He bowed his head, his grief more crushing than the vice-like grip of the squid. His best friend, the only one who stood by him even when he left her, even after he'd been worse than a jerk to her, even after all those fights, was gone. He thought of her shy smile, her mocking attitude, her fierce loyalty, her fiery, secretive green eyes, eyes that held his deepest, darkest secrets, and would keep them until her last breath. Her shiny black hair, wild and free, just like her. He thought of her secrets, how she trusted him with so many secrets, the way she'd laugh after she won a snowball fight, and the way she smiled softly when he'd play with kids, when she thought that he couldn't see her. And now he knew.

He knew this more certainly than he knew his name, that Pitch is evil, more than the way he knew that he wanted to be seen, and more than he knew that he would most likely die down here. He knew that he was in love with Ximena.

He tried to stop the tears from falling, but he couldn't stop one from sliding down his cheek. As soon as it fell off of his face, a strange calm filled the room. It became dead silent, and then the squid disappeared.

Through his blurry eyes, Jack watched in awe as monster after monster turned into shadow and was sucked into that stance ball thingy. He couldn't make out the figure beside the thing, but it had a sword or a stick raised up, and was stabbing the sphere-thingy. Jack gaped as it suddenly exploded. He threw himself down to avoid the blast, and saw Tooth trying to shield a small Bunny. Confused about the small Bunny part, Jack threw himself over them, and grunted as North tackled them as well. Jack felt numb, wishing that it was Ximena, not Tooth, he was shielding.

Then Jack pulled back, and saw that everything was filled with moonlight. Strange, considering how dark it used to be. Jack sighed and forced himself to stand. He looked desperately around, trying to at least find her body. Surely she wasn't really dead? That wasn't possible, was it?

Suddenly he heard a groan. He shot across the cavern, hope daring to rise in his chest. He searched for a few minutes, before he saw her. He dropped like a rock, falling next to her. How could he have not seen her wounds? How could he have been so blind? Why was he always such a wreck?

She was limp, and her shoulder was torn apart and bleeding. She had a nasty, deep cut on her arm, and her ankle should _so _not bend that way, but at least she was still breathing. For now.

A that disturbing thought, he scooped her up, his tears spilling out finally. How could he come so close to finding her, just to have her hanging to life by a thread? It wasn't _fair!_

He turned to his friends, and North didn't hesitate to hand him a small snow globe, which he couldn't throw, he was so weak. Jack grabbed it, murmured, "North Pole," and they all sprang(or fell, in Tooth's case) through.

Jack started off to a room, hidden in the back of the Pole, away from the hubbub of working yetis, and he settled her down. He brushed his lips against her forehead. He knew that they couldn't stay long, they still had a war to win, but he couldn't move. He knew that she would probably die, and he found his lips forming the words he was never able to tell her, and that he'd probably never get the chance to tell her. Finally, he got his voice back enough to whisper it in her ear before he left.

"I love you."

**Ximena**

It was light, really light. She was standing near a river, in a clearing in the woods. She knew this place, this was where she'd first awoken. She frowned slightly, looking around. Why was she here? Wasn't she just in the Dark Realm, about to die or something?

"_Ximena, it's time I showed you something."_

"Uh, Manny? That you?" she asked, looking up at the full moon. I glowed brighter and she knew that that was a yes.

"_It is time to know who you were in a past life. And, yes, you were once someone else. And, no, you were not unknown. Quite the opposite. So, brace yourself. This is why I called you to be a Protector."_

"Okay, show me . ." Ximena was mildly surprised, but she wasn't overly shocked. It seemed to make sense, so she braced for it.

_~TheProtector~_

_ There was a girl with short, brown hair. She had hazel eyes, and she was smirking. In her hand, behind her back, was a slingshot. She had just fired something at a rather loud, annoying, busty woman. She turned around, her face red._

_ "Who. Did. That?!" the woman snarled._

_ " 'Twasn't me!" squealed a little boy, his face ashen. He glanced at the brown hair girl pleadingly. "Tell her, please!"_

_ The woman faced the girl who wasn't dazed in the slightest. "Well, it certainly wasn't him, ma'am. Why, I don't even have a clue as to what has you so . . . frantic. Perhaps my mother would like to know . . ?" Back in those days(much like the present), social stature was the single most important thing ever, more so than what the truth was. And that infuriated the little girl, although she used it to her advantage every chance she could._

_ "Well, no, of course not!" the woman insisted, flustered. "I wouldn't want to bother your parents. How is Mr. Mayor, anyway?"_

_ "My father is quite well, thank you." The girl was suddenly stiff, and she turned to her companion. "Come along, Joseph."_

_ ~TheProtector~_

_ The girl was only a little older, probably twelve or thirteen, and she was upset. _

_ "Father!" she cried out, trying to grab the arm of an extremely beefy man. "Stop it! Stop hitting him!"_

_ Her father was beating poor Joseph, who was her little brother. He was trying not to cry, for he was a brave ten year old. Her father faced her, his eyes a little too bright for him to be sober. "Enough, girl!" he roared, throwing her across the room. "Or do you want beat instead?"_

_ "Yes!" she screamed, looking at her poor little brother. "I'll be beat instead! Just don't hurt him! Hit me instead!"_

_ Her father sneered and raised a beefy hand. He brought it slamming down on her head, and she grit her teeth to keep from crying out. Better her than poor Joseph._

_ ~TheProtector~_

_ Now she's eighteen, and she's still as rebellious as when she'd fling things at adults in town. She smiled as she saw some kids walking down the way, trying to be brave. The walkway ran alongside the woods, where she loved to spend her evenings, and she wanted these kids to be brave. She popped out, and grinned at them._

_ "Need an escort?" she offered, her tone friendly._

_ 'Ximena!" they cried out, laughing in glee. They all loved the girl who helped the younger kids stand up to their fears, and little Joseph loved her most. He didn't see her get beat anymore, but her knew that she'd take the hits for him._

_ She smiled and started along the way, leading them in the oncoming darkness. She laughed, trying to keep their minds focused on the light of the world. Soon, the four children had been left at home, and then it was just Joseph and Ximena, brother and sister. She turned towards him suddenly, her urgency evident in her swift movements._

_ "We must flee, brother. Tonight." she whispered, pulling him to the side of their house._

_ "Wha-why?" he asked, startled._

_ "Father has arranged a marriage for me, and I shall be wed to a young man my age. But I cannot let that happen." she hissed, trying to pull him away. But he would not move._

_ "Marriage? With whom? And why not?" he snarled, wishing that he knew more._

_ "A man by the name of Jackson Overland. If I am wed, then who would watch out for you? Father would . . . He would kill you, dear brother. Now, we must flee." Ximena glanced around to make sure that none could see. "You know how to hunt, and you are very brave. I will flee with you, so we will be braver together."_

_ "But, Mena . ." he whimpered, forgetting that he was twelve and not five, "I don't think I can."_

_ "Of course you can!" she growled, smiling. "You're the bravest of the children, and I will be with you, no matter what. Let's go." Her younger brother's eyes hardened, and he nodded._

_ ~TheProtector~_

_ They were fleeing through the forest, with the full moon guiding their way. She was tugging him along, and they were moving with surprising grace. She tried to do her best to throw off any trails, for she knew that, as the mayor's children, they would be missed immediately, and the best trackers would be on their tail. She swatted away branches, and they splash through yet another creek. She risked a glance backwards, and saw the glow of torches shining through the trees. She gasped, horrified. She pulled Joseph along before he could see what was after them._

_ Soon, they arrived at a large river, which fed straight off into the unknown. She lead him to the old, rickety bridge, and he gasped, "But, Ximena! That'll never hold our weight!" _

_ Ximena ignored him and lead him closer. Their father and his hounds burst from the trees from behind them, barking and yelling. "There!" the big man screamed. Ximena didn't hesitate to throw a fist-sized rock at her father. Her aim had been perfected after years of hitting women and men in the rump with pebbles, so she got him right in his large noggin. It hit his jaw, and he paused, rubbing it._

_ She shoved her little brother onto the bridge, and followed hastily. They were halfway when the bridge began to give away. She shoved her brother onto the opposite bank, but held her ground as their father started after them. The bridge swayed precariously as he hustled after them, anger in his beady eyes._

_ She turned to Joseph._

_ "Run!" she called, waving. "I need you to be brave! You'll be alright! I promise!"_

_ "No I won't!" he cried out helplessly watching his big sister facing down a bear-like man-no offense to bears. "I won't be okay, not without you! Come on, I need you! How else will I be brave?"_

_ "Believe in me!" Ximena begged, keeping one eye on her father. "You are brave! Don't let my sacrifice be because I was only delaying something! You must flee, brother! You cannot stay! I will not lose you, so run! Be brave, just like . . me! Be like me, Joseph!"_

_ "I . . Alright." Joseph agreed, nodding. He held his chin high, like she had taught him. "I'll be just as brave as you, I promise! I-I'll be the bravest man ever, and I will never forget you."_

_ Ximena smiled at him one last time, before she pulled out two daggers. The top ropes were so frayed that only one swipe cut through them. The second ones were holding together a tad better, so she set to work as fast as she could._

_ "Damn it all!" the man bellowed. "Girl, I will have you! That boy may be gone, but you're going nowhere. You're to much a coward to finish that job! You know only I'd survive that river!"_

_ "I don't care!" she screamed fiercely. "I can't live and save him, so I'll die protecting him! And I'll not return to you, not on my life. If I can't fight while alive, then I swear I'll die protecting children from monsters like you-and worse!" With that, the final ropes cut. They went plunging into the winter-cold water, and a current tugged Ximena down. She closed her eyes, the sound of her promise ringing in her ears._

_ "I'll protect children from monsters . . ."_

_ ~TheProtector~_

**Review please! I need to know whatchya don't like, so I can see what to fix. Thanks!**


	6. Gather 'round, everyone

**Alright! So, things are SUSPENSEFUL****, huh? Well, I won't waste your time here, but I will say this. Thank you all so much for the support, I really do appreciate it. Please review what you do or don't like, so I can fix/adjust it. Sorry for any typos. Now, without further ado, CHAPTER SIX!**

Ximena's eyes snapped open. "Joseph . ." she breathed. "I . . saved him! I did it, and he survived!"She looked around, then up at the moon. "Is that why I'm the Protector? I gave him the courage when he needed it most?"

The moon glowed in approval. _"Yes. And now, you must again Protect the children, for not even my Guardians can. _You_ must help _them_."_

"Sorry, Manny." Ximena snarled, her face dark and angry. "I don't tend to help those who steal friends, or abandon me. They're on their own."

"_Jack has never once abandoned you. I did not send the Guardians to assist you, Jack did. He led them to your aid, and he insisted that you were worth it. He still cares for you. What has he done to make you believe that?"_

"He saved Tooth! He left me, he didn't care when I was screaming because I was almost dying in Mary's grip! He let me die, almost. How has he stood by me?!" Ximena was only this mad because she had been so certain the he was her only friend, and that she had been stupid enough to love him.

"_Really? Did you not hear him screaming for you, did you not see his desperation as he tried to save you? Did you not witness his grief when he believed you dead? Do you know why he saved Tooth instead?"_

"I don't care enough to," lied Ximena. She was secretly dying, not knowing.

_"He believed you perfectly strong." _He didn't seem to listen to Ximena's lie._ "He didn't think that the Tooth Fairy was as capable as you. When he thought you dead-"_

"Wait." she interrupted, holding up a hand. "He thought I was dead? Why?"

_"He heard you shrieking when you were in pain. He thought you dead, because, well, why else would you scream like that? And he gave up. He went limp, stopped fighting-a part of him died. See?"_

An image showed Jack struggling in the squid's grasp, and she could hear herself screaming in the background. Then the screaming stopped, and she gaped as Jack seemed to pass out, just from grief. She saw as he hunted her down after the Orb exploded, and she was shocked when she saw him lay her down. She could barely hear him whisper, "I love you."

"Why're you showing me this?" Her voice was so quiet, she didn't expect Manny to hear her. She couldn't summon the energy to be angry at the white-haired boy anymore, not after that.

_"So that you may know the truth. Everything that Mary had showed you was only images. Each time you saw jack with Tooth, it was him being sensitive. He was reassuring her, not flirting. He cares for you, and he is blind to Tooth."_

"Why do you care so much about me?" she growled, turning away. "Why should you bother with who I love? Don't you have more important things to do?"

She could have sworn that the Moon was chuckling at her, as though she had said something foolish. _"I do care for you, as though you were my daughter-one whom I loved. That, and you must make an informed decision. Especially since this one choice will change everything, forever."_

"What choice?" She didn't like the sound of this.

_"Right now, you are neither dead or alive. You are on the line of both, and now you must choose. Will you let everything go, and fall into eternal sleep? You have fought so long for so hard-don't you deserve retirement? You have already done much more than enough. Why keep going?_

_ "Or you can survive. Why should you let the one you love, more than life, fight till his death? Will you let him face the Boogeyman alone? Or will you feel the fire of being the Protector yet again? Will you be the saving grace? Will you stand for those too weak, yell for the mute, listen for the deaf, and fight for the defenseless?"_

She stared up at the moon. The weak, the deaf_, _the defenseless, the mute? She knew that, as surely as she knew what she was going to choose, that those were the ones she had stood for. Weak Joseph, mute Sandy, defenseless Jack, everyone who needed her, she'd fight for. It wasn't in her DNA to give in, it wasn't even comprehendible. So she took a step backwards, knowing just where she'd end up.

She opened her eyes, just a few heartbeats after Jack had left. Her forehead was warm where Jack had kissed her. That was something that had always confused her, although Jack didn't know. He wasn't cold to her, he wasn't chilly. He was as warm as a normal person, although she seemed to be able to sense his presence.

She cautiously looked at her shoulder, worried that she'd see a mangled, disgusting mess instead of her shoulder. Instead, her shoulder was almost fully healed, with only some scars to remind her of the horrors that had taken place only a while before. She forced herself to sit up, wincing at her still-sore shoulder, and sat up. She swung her legs down, gentley testing her twisted(probably broken) ankle. Luckily, that too had healed. She rose up, her eyes searching the room. It was plain, with wooden wall, and rookie paintings. She frowned slightly at the large, open window. It dropped the room temperature by 20 degrees, and she shivered. Why did Jack love the cold especially? She didn't mind the wind, snow, or bare leaves. It was the cold that annoyed her, but Jack loved it. She shook her head, dumbfounded, and walked to the door.

She slipped out, and almost ran into Phil, a yeti she knew knew Jack. She swiftly ducked into the shadows, her black hair easily blending. Soon she arrived in the Globe Room, and looked up at Manny.

"Come on . . ." she muttered, "Give me something, anything . ."

She suddenly saw a portal open, and she shrugged. Without thinking, she jumped through. The next thing she knew, she was in a place that seemed to be eternally spring. She turned in a full circle, then paused when she saw Bunny. She slipped closer, relying on the rabbit's distraction as he painted rather than the shadows, since there weren't any. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it wasn't Bunny, but a smaller, female rabbit. One she knew.

"Hey there, Blossom." Ximena said, using her dark, dangerous tone that she knew freaked out Blossom especially.

"Ack!" The Easter Bunny's daughter jumped ten feet in the air and whirled around. "Tress!" she whined, using her nickname for Ximena. "I told you not to do that!"

Ximena smirked and said, "Kay. I need your help, I think." She wasn't close with any of the other immortals she knew, but she knew that they respected her just enough to keep her existence a secret from their fathers or mothers, thankfully.

"Uh, _you, _asking for help?" Blossom said, shaking her furry head in wonder. "Must be bad."

"Manny sent me." Ximena told her of the problems that Blossom's over-protective father had hid from her.

"I'm in." Blossom agreed without hesitation, which middy surprised Ximena. She knew that Blossom always had strong faith, and she wondered why Blossom had placed it on her. But she didn't question it.

Another portal opened behind Blossom, and Ximena grumbled, "I'm hoping he doesn't expect me to rally a team. It doesn't seem like we have much time." Nevertheless, they jumped through.

They came out, and walked through the Pole. "I guess we get North's daughter, then." Ximena mused, wondering about the girl North was always so determined to hide. Although each of the girls' fathers believed that their daughters were safely hidden, they had no clue that they knew each other.

The kept going, and Ximena could see that Blossom was excited to see her old friend. They kept on going, and going, and going, up countless stairs, in Ximena's mind(it didn't matter if there were only two, it still was countless. She despised stairs), and they finally arrive at a section of the wall.

Blossom tapped up a tunnel for herself, and hopped through into the room. Ximena swept through the shadows just in time to hear Blossom ask for help. Ximena explained, and no sooner had North's daughter said, "Sure, I'll help," then yet another portal opened.

"You wanna go first, Holly?" asked Blossom, grinning. Holly's blue eyes widened with joy at being first, the joy she always had, and jumped through. Blossom followed, but Ximena paused long enough to scowl at Many.

"I hope you know what you're doing. I hate socializing." The she followed her unexpected companions.

**Jack**

"Jack . ." North breathed softly, "He can see you!" Jack grinned, joy washing over him yet again, and nudged Jamie.

"You're real . ." Jamie reached out a hand to touch North's, as though he still couldn't believe it, and needed to prove that he wasn't crazy.

"Awesome . ." Jamie breathed, grinning. "But, where's the Easter Bunny?"

Little Bunny hopped out of the sleigh, and Jack smirked yet again. After he had dropped off Xi, he had gone off after Jamie, leaving the others to get there themselves. He didn't want their sympathetic stares. Now, though, he longed for the chance to mock his old rival.

"What?" Jamie snickered. "That's him? But he was super tall, with those cool boomerangs, and now he's . . . cute."

"Cute?" Bunny snarled, his little nose twitching. 'Did you tell him to say that? Why you little . ."

Bunny hopped over to Jack, and tried to punch him. Jack laughed as Bunny's fur tickled his bare ankle. He couldn't help it, despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Actually, he told me that you guys were real, just when I was about to stop believing." Jamie interrupting. Bunny stopped, and gaped at Jack. He was shocked that Jack, his oldest rival, had done that for him. Not that he would ever say thank you, of course.

"How touching." Pitch's voice rang out, killing the moment. "Too bad this won't last."

Jack and the others looked top to see Pitch on he cloud of nightmare sand, and watched him prepare to attack.

"I'll fight him." Jack said, preparing to take off. "You guys protect Jamie."

He took off to face Pitch once more, fueled with furious energy, the kind that comes from losing the girl you love, and having your first believer threatened.

"Frost?" Pitch snarled. Apparently, he hadn't seen Jack from above. "Let's finish this." He swirled his sand to follow him as he shot of to meet Jack head on.

While he was a little far away, Jack blasted his ice at Pitch, wary of getting to close. Not after he'd had to fix his staff after Pitch broke it.

But Pitch just blocked the attack, and that shocked Jack. "That little trick doesn't work on me," Pitch snarled, "_anymore!"_ With that, he shot nightmare sand at Jack with such force that he was knocked out of the sky.

He fell through the air, and slammed onto a dumpster. Luckily, Jamie and the others were there. Jack!" Jamie cried, and they rushed over.

Jack was trying to get up, and mumbled, "He's took strong. I . . I can't beat him."

North and Tooth exchanged a look of worry, then North patted Jack on the back saying, "Well, A for effort. Let's go."

They turned to run, but a shadow Pitch stopped them. "Aw, Bunny, you're adorable." Pitch's voice surrounded them, and the shadow reached out a long finger to scratch Bunny. "Would you like a scratch behind the ear?" Pitch mocked.

Bunny hopped into North's hand and said, "Don't you even think about it."

Pitch laughed, and the shadow disappeared. Then Pitch himself came out on a nightmare, with two others flanking him. "I must say, it's great seeing you like this. You all look, _awful." _With that, he swept a hand through the air, and a light went out with a _pop._

"All this fuss-"_pop-"_over one little boy." Pitch sneered, getting closer. "No matter." _Pop. _"There's more than one way to snuff out a light." _Pop. _

With the last light out, it was almost to dark to see. Jamie turned to Jack and whimpered, "Jack, I'm scared."

With those simple words, Jack suddenly remembered. His little sister, an ice skating trip, thin ice, all of it. He saved her, and told her not to be afraid. But how? How did he save her?

"It'll be okay." Jack said, remembering his words, while reassuring the little boy. "We're gonna have a little fun instead . ." Jack knew, suddenly, that these words were the ones that he used to save his little sister, and that held his center. "That's it!" he yelped quietly. "That's my center!"

Poor Jamie was facing his worst nightmare, with an old man, little rabbit, a weak bird, and a teenager as his only hope. And now the strongest, most reassuring one had gone insane. That wasn't very reassuring.

"What do you say, Jamie?" asked Pitch, leering. "Do you believe, in the Boog-" A snowball slammed into Pitch's face, and Jamie laughed. He turned to Jack, who was smirking while tossing another up and down. "Now let's go get your friends." He told Jamie.

While Pitch was distracted, Jack made an ice path for the Guardians and Jamie to ride on with some garbage can lids that were lying around. They went through the town, and soon arrived at Cupcake's house. Jamie threw a snowball at her window, and Jack made it snow. Her eyes sparkled with blue, then she saw Jack flying past with the other legends from her childhood.

Then they went to the twins, Caleb and Clyde's house, and North left them presents. They awoke and raced to the window, the boys' belief restored, and saw the very creatures that they had lost their belief for racing by.

"Happy Waster!" called Bunny, as North cried, "Merry Christmas!" and Tooth told them, "Don't forget to floss!" The boys then wasted no time trying to follow them.

Pippa was asleep when she heard Jamie knocking on her window. "Jamie!" she cried out in shock, opening her window. "How are you doing that?!"

Jamie was hovering outside her window, seeming to dangle by his shirt. "Jack Frost! Come on!" He told her, while pointing to the invisible(to her) winter sprite holding him up. Then they took off, and Pippa gaped at them as Jack Frost appeared to her. She looked across the small gap between her and her neighbor's house to the blonde boy with red-rimmed glasses, Monty, and he called over too her, in pure wonder, "Jack Frost!"

Finally, the kids came to a stop, with Monty trying to keep up, in the middle of a street. Pitch was ahead of them, with roiling, pure black, thunderous clouds of his nightmare sand behind him. The kids gaped in horror, while the weak Guardians tried to face off with the super-powerful Boogeyman.

"How do you think kids will help you?" jeered Pitch. "Never mind. It won't matter."

Jamie and his friends exchanged scared looks, which Jack saw. He turned to look at them and said, "Don't worry. We'll protect you."

"Ah," said Pitch, snarling almost, "but who will protect _you?"_

**Ximena**

This time, they wind up in a wide, open platform, with gold, red, and pink buildings everywhere, some even upside down. As they stood there, the buildings were fading, and Holly and Blossom were shifting uneasily. Ximena, who could fly, and was never scared, wasn't bothered. Instead, she cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed, "Krystal!"

A slightly shorter version of Tooth came fluttering out, only she had golden tail feathers, and a violet ring around her neck. She saw them and fluttered over.

"You really should have been more careful!" gasped Holly, worrying over her good friend. "We could have been Pitch!" The three of them, along with Sandy's son Tyrus, were best friends since they were all so similar. They just barely knew of Ximena, and called her Huntress, or Tress for short, only because they didn't really now her name.

"But I knew you weren't!" Krystal laughed, hugging them. She explained, "I recognized your voices, because I trusted you guys!"

"I don't care the reason," said Ximena, "I just think that was brave."

"And I admired your faith!" Blossom told her energetically.

"Thanks!" Krystal said, blushing slightly. "But, since Tress is with you, I doubt that you're here to try to reassure me after what happened with the . . the minis . . " Her voice choked up, and Ximena sighed.

"You're right." she growled, stepping a tad closer. "I'm here because Manny says that I need help. You see, Pitch has obviously fought against you guys, well, your parents, but he didn't stop here. Instead, he went against Sandy . ." After she finished telling the daughter of the Tooth Fairy, she asked, "So, I know you'll probably say no, but, will you help?"

"Of course!" Krystal said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, Blossom can kick and use her boomerangs, Holly knows how to use her swords, and I, well, you know. But you don't know how to fight. What's making you help?"

"I'm too loyal to stay here while my friend's go to war!" Krystal said evenly. "Besides, I have razor-sharp wings, just like my mother."

"Really?" Ximena asked, disappearing in her own shadow, and reappearing behind Krystal. "Mind if I take a look? I could easily make a new weapon with some this sharp. Wow! You weren't kidding!"

Ximena really had a passion for weapons, mainly because it was one of the only things useful for her job. The others exchanged a look as a portal opened, but Ximena didn't notice. Not until Blossom pushed her through first. She landed gracefully and looked around. She frowned slightly as she realized where they were. The other girls jumped through, and waited while looking around. They were on the deck of a flying ship, made of dreamsand. Just like the Tooth Palace, however, it was fading fast. Krystal looked around, then called the name Holly was blushing too hard to say. "Tyrus! WHere are you?!"

A tall, lean, playful boy leaned out of a window cautiously, then his face brightened up when he saw them. He wore average clothing, torn blue jeans with a flannel shirt, and he grinned at them. His smile was as bright as the dreamsand, and he was handsome, although his hair could be whiter in Ximena's opinion.

He waved, and Holly muttered, "Hi, Rus. We, uh, we kinda . . uh . ."

"We need your help." Blossom saved Holly from looking even more foolish. "You know Ximena, right?"

Of course he did. The first and last time they's met, she was hunting down a nightmare that had been tracking a little kid and his brother. It had gone into Sandy's ship, only Sandy wasn't there. It had tried to attack Tyrus, only he had turned it into dreamsand. Unfortunately, Ximena hadn't realized that, and instead had kept going after it. Tyrus had attacked her, thinking her a monster or something. She had easily gotten him out of the way, and took off when she saw the unicorn instead of the nightmare.

Rus looked past the girls he was friend with, and narrowed his golden eyes-another flaw to Ximena_at her. She met his gaze with her green yes, and he nodded slowly. He was forming a whip in his had, but she spoke before he could start where they had left off last time.

"Woah there, sand . . guy." she said, holding up her hands. "I wasn't trying to attack you, I was going after that nightmare. Member how it was a nightmare _first?_ Yeah, you changed it before I realized it. I tried to get rid of it, but you thought I was, I don't know, attacking you or something. Truce?"

She spoke fast, still wary of fighting the dude that was supposed to become her ally. He paused, looking to the others to see what they thought of the Huntress.

"Wait, a fight?" Blossom asked curiously. Ximena explained briefly, while Rus showed them what she was talking about. "Ohhh, I see." Blossom said when they had finished. "But, I get why Rus is wary." She turned to him and said, 'You don't need to be, though. Tress is cool. We can put our faith in her."

For the first time, Rus spoke. "Alright. I guess it's not to far a stretch of imagination to think she's cool." Ximena blinked in surprise.

"Well, you seem to have an infinite imagination, so it shouldn't bother you." joked Holly. Rus laughed with the others while Ximena looked at him curiously.

"You aren't mute?" she asked, hoping she wasn't being rude.

"Nah, neither is my father. But I don't know why he never speaks." Rus told her. "But I prefer to speak only occasionally, and that's mainly when I'm with friends."

"Weird." Ximena said, shaking her head. Just then, a large chunk of sand fell away from beneath Blossom's paws. Fast as lightning, Ximena hooked her arm around the Pooka's waist and tugged her to safety.

"Nice reflexes!" gasped Holly, looking at Ximena in surprise.

Ximena shrugged, and Rus said, "Since you guys obviously didn't come here to hang out in a disappearing chip, and Ximena's not exactly social-"

"Why am I the main reason everyone assumes we're not just visiting?" Ximena complained, jokingly.

"-why are you here?" Rus finished, as though Ximena hadn't said anything.

Before anyone could say anything, Krystal asked, "Did Tress just tell a _joke?_ That was kinda _funny?!"_

Ximena snorted while the others gaped at her. "Personally, I blame Jack . ." she hissed, to quiet to be heard. At least she thought.

"Wait, who's Jack?" Blossom asked, her sharp ears having heard every word.

'I don't know what you're talking about, and we don't have much time. Let's tell Rus what's happening and go, okay?" Ximena said briskly, silently cursing herself for that slip-up.

They explained, and Rus gaped at them. '"What are we waiting for?!"

"You," muttered Krystal, although Rus didn't hear.

"Let's go!" he demanded, and yet another portal opened.

'I'm gettin' real sick of this stuff, Manny," complained Blossom before she jumped through. They all appeared just in time to hear Pitch snarl, "Ah, but who will protect you?"

"I will, you aggravating nuisance." Ximena snarled as she stepped out of the shadows to stand in front of the kids and Guardians. She heard Rus mutter, "Does she even have a plan?" as the others stepped forward.

"We will." they growled as one.

**Alright. So, for the newcomers(Tyrus, Krystal, Blossom, and Holly) I didn't copy anyone's name, or character design. I just came up with some random things, but if I put the same names down for someone, it wasn't intentional. I DON"T DO THAT KIND OF STEALY THINGY, I PROMISE. I hope you enjoyed! There might be only one more, but I MIGHT add an epilogue. If I don't, but everyone thinks I need one, please say so. Thanks, PEEEEEEEAAAAAAAACCCCEEEEE! **


	7. The end ?

**I guess I just want to drag this on! It's kind of hard to let go of characters that you create, kind of like you let go of friends when the time comes :/ . . Anyway, here's one of the last chapters! Wow, I just can't help myself! I could have posted these last two as one, but I guess it feels as though posting it will mean the definite end! It's kind of sad, although I guess you guys don't really care *shrugs* at least you guys who have reviewed care! Thanks for all the support! So enjoy chapter seven!**

"Oh?" sneered Pitch. "And who are you?"

"I am the Huntress, Queen of the Dark, slayer of nightmares." Ximena snarled back.

"I am the Creator of Dreams, the giver of imagination." Rus announced.

"I am the reason we remember, the bond between us all." Krystal said, her violet eyes gleaming.

"I guess I'm the reason children smile, why fun even exists." Holly added helpfully.

Finally, Blossom grumbled, "And I'm, uh, the promise of all good things, the promise of the springtime."

"How amusing." Pitch said, seeming bored.

'Xi?!" Jack yelped, gaping at her. She smiled back, while her companions tried to avoid the gazes of their parents.

"Blossom, what do you think you're doing out of the Warren?" Bunny growled, trying to be threatening despite his size.

"Oh, Da!" Blossom whispered,horrified. "What's happened you ya?"

"Holly, why are you here? Go home." North growled, trying to stand straight.

"No, dad." Holly said determinedly. "Do you think I can't see how much you need our protection?"

"Krystal, what do you think you're doing! You could be hurt! Forget about us, we'll be fine!" Tooth tried to scold her daughter, but couldn't muster the energy.

"Mum," Krystal breathed, "do you really think I'll be eager to forget you? Or do you believe I'll be so disloyal to my friends?"

The Guardians stopped talking when Jack suddenly leaped forward, to embrace Ximena in midair.

"I . . I thought I'd loose you." Jack whispered into her hair. Her throat was closed up, and she shivered with delight at his touch.

"I know. I thought so too." she murmured back. They held each other for a few heartbeats before one of the kids pipped up.

"Uh, Jack?" It was the boy with brown hair and a missing tooth. "Who are you hugging?"

Jack pulled back, but only slightly, and said, "Jamie, this is Ximena. She is sort of like a Guardian, only she hunts down our fears, and gets rid of them. She's the reason why we can all be brave."

"Woah . ." the kids breathed, finally able to see her. They looked blankly at the other immortals, though.

"Who were the other Guardians talking to?" Jamie asked curiosity replacing his earlier fear.

"They were talking to their kids. Blossom is the Easter Bunny's daughter, Holly is North's, Krystal is Tooth's, and Rus is the Sandman's son." Ximena explained, landing lightly on the pavement. "Do you see them?"

Jack gaped at the Guardians while the kids gaped at their offspring, and Jack asked, "You have _kids?!_ Yet I never knew?!"

"Well, we thought that not even each other kn-"

"This is all very touching, but a bunch of kids and your descendants won't save you." Pitch interrupted North, looking irritated that Ximena had arrived, stealing his show. "Besides, it's not like Ximena can make them stop believing in me."

"I do believe in you. Jamie said, stepping forward to stand beside Rus. "I'm just not afraid of you!"

Pitch, furious, sent a wave of fear straight at Jamie. Rus stared at Jamie, then at the approaching sand. Without a word, he let it hit Jamie.

"Rus!" Ximena snarled, about to leap on him to attack. But the sand didn't hurt Jamie-it didn't do him harm. It turned into golden sand, and the strands of dreamsand flowed through the city. Ximena turned around as the kids started cheering. Tooth's energy was suddenly returning, North stood up powerfully like before, and Bunny was waiting for his height to return. She smirked, but she knew the fight wasn't over-not yet. She turned to her group, and said, "I guess we have to protect the children. Keep them, you know, safe and . . stuff."

The others nodded, and leaped away. Blossom paused to ask, "What about you?"

"I'm going to go end this." she said, and they both leapt away.

Ximena, later, knew that she would never admit just how much she enjoyed this. It was rare when she fought against so many, with the upper hand, and found it, well, _fun._ In the Dark Realm, she hadn't had time to relish to sweet sound of her daggers _wishing_ through the air, or the brilliant feeling of her muscles bunching and releasing, or the rhythm of the feet against pavement. And she felt a certain energy flowing through her, and a part of her knew that it was the children's courage. It was somehow giving her strength, and it was _amazing._

She leapt through the nightmares, her daggers a blur, and she hacked and slashed, all to the beating of her heart. She smiled as the kids laughed as the mares turned to unicorns, dinosaurs, dreams, and the occasional dancing banana. What that was about, Ximena didn't even _want_ to know.

She soon appeared behind Pitch, and smiled. He was focused on the fight, busy trying to get energy from the kids' fear.

"There's nothing left, you know." she smirked. Pitch jumped, and she stepped closer. She relished that she could scare Pitch, although his fear left a bitter taste in her mouth. "No more fear, that is. I've scared it all away."

Pitch scrambled back, and she approached further. "You won't be able to scare children enough to get strong, not ever again. Because I'll be there, watching and Protecting. So, you wanna know something?"

"Wh-what?" the Boogeyman stammered, trying to get in control yet again.

"Boo." she snarled, lunging closer. Pitch turned and fled, racing away towards the woods that she and Jack played in so often.

She took off after him, flying over the others. The Guardians were having a snowball war with some yetis, elves, giant eggs, and the kids. It was just the kind of thing that Jack would start. She didn't pay attention to where her group was, so she was surprised when she heard Krystal coming up behind her.

"Watchya doing?" Krystal seemed to be struggling to keep up, but Ximena couldn't afford to lower her speed.

"Stuff." At Krystal's glare, she relented, "I'm tracking down Pitch."

"Didn't you do enough?" Ximena heard Holly yell, and she looked down to see the white-haired girl racing after them with her own rain deer. Instead of being brown, like her father's, her's was a pure black girl. Ximena didn't know the name.

"Why does everyone ask that?" Ximena said, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe we worry?" Rus asked, following closely on his cloud of dreamsand.

"Ya ain't invincible, mate." Blossom added, racing along beneath them.

"I don't really care." Ximena called, shrugging. "There's a job to be done, so I've got to do it."

"Isn't that what the Guardians job is, though?" protested Blossom. "Why not let them do it?"

"Hey! Those are our parents!" snapped Krystal. "Where's your loyalty?"

"We can't all be as loyal as you, Krys!" laughed Holly.

"You're always to happy!" Rus snorted. "We should call you Jolly!"

Ximena rolled her eyes. She hated working in groups. How would they sneak up if they wouldn't _shut _up? That, and she didn't care for their companionship. All of that friendliness wasn't exactly her thing. Although a tiny part of her, the same part that told her to trust Jack all those years ago, was asking, _What if I could get used to it?_

She ignored it and sped up. She couldn't bear to listen to their eccentric chatter, or Holly and Rus's awkward flirting. She was going too fast for them, and she relished the thrill that came with that kind of speed. Soon, she came upon Jack's lake, where Pitch was still running. She paused at the treelike, however, when she saw the Guardians. Pitch was busy looking behind him, so he didn't see North until he slammed into his belly.

"Going somewhere?" North asked, smug. Before Pitch could say anything, Tooth suddenly flew forward. She tossed Pitch a penny, and he caught it.

"A quarter? What for?" he asked, dumbfounded. The fear he felt when Ximena was chasing him must have faded, for some of his controlling tone was returning.

Tooth punched him in the face, sending a tooth flying. "That's for my fairies."

Ximena felt a tugging surge of admiration for the fairy, but ignored it when Jack snickered.

"You're done for, Pitch." Bunny growled. "No one's afraid of you anymore."

"This isn't the end!" Pitch declared. "I will always be here, and there will always be fear. You can't get rid of me forever."

"So what?" Ximena asked, stepping forward. "Even if just one child believes, you will still be beat. Not to mention that we're exactly weak. Besides, it'll take you a while to regain your strength-no one's scared."

"Ah," Pitch argued, smiling suddenly. "if you're not scared, then what are they doing here?" He waved to rows and rows of nightmares, surrounding the whole group. They were outnumbered, but not outmatched.

**Jack**

"They're not my nightmares!" North laughed. He spoke before Ximena could leap, and Jack could see that she was disappointed. "I am not afraid."

"If they're not ours," Jack growled, looking around, "then they must be yours."

Pitch's confidence drained away, and he cried out. He scrambled away, but he couldn't escape his fears, no more than anyone could. They lunged forth, wrapping around him and dragging him off. Jack figured that they would take the Nightmare King off to the broken bed, and he could only hope that Pitch would stay under the bed, where he belonged.

He grinned suddenly. They won! Pitch was gone, and those weird, scary creatures were gone too! To him, it couldn't get any better than this. Now, there was only one last official thing to do . .

"Jack." Jack turned at North's call. "Are you ready?" He held up the Book of the Guardians. "To make it official."

Jack grinned and faced the Guardian of Wonder. North began the Oath.

"Will you, Jack Frost, vow to watch over the children of the world?

To Guard with their life their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams?

For they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be."

Jack grinned and nodded. North smiled, and said, "Then congratulations, Jack Frost, for you are now and forevermore . . . A Guardian! The Guardian of Fun!"

The kids broke out in cheers, North's daughter whooped and jumped up and down in joy, Blossom looked as though she had had faith in him the whole time. Tooth's daughter laughed, and Sandy's son smiled thoughtfully. Jack looked to their leader, to the girl that meant more to him than anyone else. Ximena. She walked over to him, her green eyes as unreadable as the night they'd first met. He waited anxiously, for the first time wondering if she knew that he had said I love you.

"Jack," she whispered, "I'm so proud of you. You were so brave." With that, he saw her smile, and he whooped. Her opinion meant more to him than her buddies' approval. He wrapped her up in a hug, his joy overflowing.

"Wait!" Tooth suddenly announced. Everyone turned to look at her, and Jack frowned in curiosity as Ximena looked furiously aggravated by the fairy's voice alone.

"What about Sandy? We should, I don't know, honor him . . Somehow." Tooth said, her eyes sad and uncertain.

"Wait, what if . ." Jamie mumbled, his voice trailing off. Suddenly his eyes widened with excitement. "I know what we can do!"

He gathered his friends around him, and Rus started to circle them, anxiety in his golden eyes. _He must have been horrified by the news of his father's death._ Jack thought,_ He must be pretty strong to face his father's murderer, and to even come and fight. I don't think I could have ever done that._

He tried to catch Rus's eye, to try to reassure him somehow, but the Sandman's son was too busy pacing, his eyes trained on the kids. They had joined hands, and were concentrating fiercely. Suddenly, Blossom stepped forward, her pale blue eyes lit with something that Jack couldn't read.

'Come on, kids." she breathed, her fur standing on end in the tense moment. "Have faith, you can do it."

"Imagine him!" Rus urged desperately, his eyes gleaming with the same light as Blossom's. "Imagine him back here, alive with us."

A strand of golden dreamsand started to swirl in their ring, then it was joined by another, and another, and another. Soon, it was a bright, swirling cloud of dreamsand. It it's midst, a figure was growing. It was only visible because it was a solid, compact shape. Suddenly, the sand dispersed, and there stood the Sandman, Guardian of Dreams.

"Sandy!" Jack yelled, racing over. Rus beat him there, wrapping his three-times-less-than-his-size father in his arms. "Dad!" Rus gasped.

The other Guardians charged over,, each one crying out greetings. Jack pulled back, smiling, as Bunny said, "Mate, you are a sight for sore eyes." He dropped to be beside Ximena, still grinning. The two loners . . The two loners who seem to get a _lot_ done, in groups. Maybe they weren't meant to be loners, but parts of a whole.

"Maybe these guys aren't that bad after all." Ximena muttered, reflecting his thoughts as usual.

"Yeah," Jack agreed faintly, watching as Krystal and Tooth embraced. "Maybe."

Ximena suddenly sighed. "I have to go soon. The sun's coming."

"So?" Jack asked, confused. "I though that you only had to chase the night sometimes."

"All of this has taught me something." Ximena told him, her green eyes meeting his blue ones. "And now I know that I was brought back, awakened, to Protect. And I guess that means doing what I was doing, only better. I used to only fight the fears that crossed my path, and I hid in the woods. Now I know that it's not about me and my safety, it's about the kids' and theirs. I have a job to do, and I can't do it as incomplete as I ave been. So now, I guess it's time for a new beginning."

**I hope you guys enjoyed this! Can you leave a review? It would help a lot, and it would help me fix whatever you all hate! Or emphasize/add what you like/love/want! PEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAACE!**


	8. The Final Chapter

**This is it. The last chapter. It's kind of sad, to me, really. I worked pretty hard on this, and I don't know how long it took. A month? Two? I don't know. But I sure as heck don't regret anything. I loved writing for you guys, it's been great. I hope you enjoy this chapter, the final chapter. Without further ado, the next installment of Alone in the Dark, Chapter 8!**

"Yeah, I guess so." Jack whispered sadly. He didn't want to loose Ximena, not for a heartbeat. And definitely not after almost losing her forever. "When will you come back?"

"I don't know." Ximena shrugged, turning back to watch Blossom and Bunny give some kids rides on their backs. "I might return tomorrow, but I don't know if I will be able to hang out. After all, you'll have new responsibilities as the Guardian of Fun. won't you?"

"That didn't really occur to me yet, actually." Jack told her, uncertainty filling him-and fear. "What if I fail? What if I can't do it? What if they cast me out? What will I do without you here to help? How will I-"

"Jack." she interrupted, her eyes glowing. "Don't be scared. You were meant to be a Guardian, I just know it. You were made to be the Guardian of Fun, so let me handle things that are scary. You just handle the fun, okay?"

**Ximena**

Ximena watched Jack's eyes light up as she reassured him, and a warmth spread through her. She smiled back, but just then Bunny called, "Come on, Frostbite! Aren't you supposed to be fun?"

"Are you challenging me to have fun, Cottontail?" Jack called back. He gave her one more glance, but the tug of fun must have been too strong for him to resist, for he shot off, firing snowballs as he went. Ximena sat back, chuckling as the kids laughed and ran around. She kept a close eye on the ice, wary of the water beneath. It might not be able to harm her much, but she didn't want the kids to be afraid of water.

She looked up when she saw Rus drifting over to her, away from where he was at a draw with Blossom. He was grinning, his goldeny face flushed. He stood beside her, examining the scene.

"You could join in, you know. The ice is steady." he told her, his voice soft and steady. "And I'm positive Jack won't let it crack."

"I'm not afraid of the water." Ximena snorted. _Right?_

"I didn't say that you were." Rus said swiftly. Ximena rolled her eyes. People worried about their words too much-actions are all that matters, at least in her opinion. "So, why are you over here, alone?"

"I don't see a reason that I'm needed." Ximena a dmitted, shrugging. "No one needs me unless there's a monster, or something that needs to be fought."

"That's not true." Rus argued. "People do need you, all the time-but not to scare away the dark."

"What?" Ximena asked, surprised.

"Well, Jack's not scared, but I can tell that he needs you." Rus said, "And I'm pretty sure that the Guardians are realizing how much they need you. At least, Blossom, Holly, Krystal, and I are. And our parents are not fools-they will realize the same, soon."

Ximena didn't even say anything, for there was nothing to be said, nothing that she _could _say. So she sat there, contemplating what her associate said. She was needed, but not only to just fight? Could this really be true? Her whole life had been one constant war, from fighting against her father to fighting against everyone else's fears. Perhaps she could be something more. After all, she figured that she was at least a pretty decent big sister. She silently begged Manny for help.

The moonlight seemed to grow stronger, and Ximena's eyes widened in surprise. She was so not expecting an answer, so this was a pretty big surprise. Blossom, Holly, and Krystal came over to them, their eyes wide. Rus was looking at their parents, who were all silent, and looking at Manny expectantly. Jack looked between the two groups, bout Ximena nodded for him to join the Guardians. Something was telling her that the two groups had to be separated, and there was to be no exceptions.

The moonlight fell into a single ray, pointing directly at North's chest. From his big coat, the Guardian produced the Book of the Guardians. He put it down bentley, as though listening to a voice inside his head, which he probably was. It flipped open, to the very back of the Book. There large, bold, fancy words appeared on the blank page.

Beneath the tree.

Ximena shrugged, and turned to see a pure black book appear. She bent over to pick it up, and to examine it. There were streaks of gold, white, green, and blue racing along it. The black didn't seem so solid in the light. Instead, it seemed to be like a curtain, hiding, no,_ protecting _so many other colors. In a few words(that didn't even sum it up) it was beautiful. On the cover, there was one letter, kind of like on the Guardian's Book, only it looked different.

She grinned and flipped open to a page that felt right. She didn't care if the others saw-it wasn't just hers. Suddenly, she knew what page to go to. Once on that page, she read through it swiftly. She knew, immediately, what was to be done.

"Guys, I think Manny's telling us that it's time for some new people-creatures?-to rise." she told them, still looking at the page. Finally, she turned to her new partners. "You guys ready for this?"

She knew that they had been reading over her shoulder, and that they knew what they were agreeing to. "Okay. Then I'll read it for you guys. Then one of you read for me, alright?" Ximena asked. They nodded, so she began.

"Do you, Blossom May, Tyrus Man, Holly Clause, and Krystal Fairy, swear to watch over the children of the world?

To protect their faiths, imagination, and joy with your live?

For they are all that gives us purpose, all that we have, and everything we need."

"We will." they agreed as one, their voices strong and sure.

"Then you are now and always Protectors." Ximena carried on solemnly. "Blossom May, the Protector of Faith, Tryrus Man, the Protector of Imagination. Holly Clause, the Protector of Joy, Krystal, the Protector of Loyalty. Congrats."

Once more, the children erupted into applause. She smiled slightly at them, then Rus stepped forward. He took the Book from her, careful to keep the page. "What's your full name?" he breathed.

"Don't worry." she told him. "It'll tell you if it's necessary."

"Alright . . Here we go!" announced Rus. Ximena stepped back to face him, while her other Protectors joined Rus. "Wait, this isn't . . right. I think it should be . . ." Rus started flipping pages, and Ximena looked at him, confused. "Aha!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Here's your Oath. Ready?" Still confused, Ximena nodded.

"Ximena Frost, do you swear to continue your journey?

To continue to Protect the children as you once swore, so long ago?

For you know that they are your everything, your life, your purpose."

"I swear."

**Leave a review if you want me to write something else, or if you didn't like something! But that's it, the end of Ximena the Protector and Jack the Guardian. Thanks for everything! PEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAACCCE!**


	9. Epilouge

**I KNOW I'M A DIRT ROTTEN LIAR! I'M SO SORRY! I truly thought that that was the last chapter, but it didn't feel** **_done _yet, you know? So I decided to add an epilogue! I feel likeI'm dragging this out, though! Sorry if I'm just beating this to the dust, I just had to do this, for Ximena! Also, I figure I'd say exactly what the whole 'Ximena Frost' thing was about, since I just . . . I don't know, I had to! Anyway, enjoy this FOR REAL LAST installment of Alone in the Dark!**

"Then you are now and always a Protector. The Protector of Courage. Congrats."

Jack didn't cheer as loudly as Ximena expected, but he had every right to be reserved. After all, it wasn't every day that you hear your last name used by someone else. At first Ximena had wondered why that was the name Manny had chosen, but then she remembered.

Her father had made sure that she was married off, before she was eighteen. At first, Jack's parents agreed. But then, for some reason, they had decided to wait until Jack was eighteen to let them wed. She imagined that Jack had never known, whereas she had been pressured to be perfect for her future husband since she was only fifteen. Now, she remembered that the marriage papers had been signed when she was still sixteen, so her last name was technically Jack's last name before she drowned. She knew that it should be Overland, but she figured that it must have changed when his did.

Once the cheering died down, Rus closed the book, his eyes gleaming with happiness. "I guess we're now officially important, right?" he asked, smirking. "So we can choose for ourselves, right?"

Ximena snorted and said, "Not now, Rus. We still have other things to do now. Elsewhere."

Rus nodded in agreement, but the brown haired boy rushed forward. "You're leaving?" he asked, tugging on Jack's blue hoodie.

"What if I stop believing? If I can't see . ." His voice faded from Ximena's focus as she turned to speak with Blossom.

"What was up with your last name being Frost? Isn't that Jack's?" she asked, her head tilting to one side.

"Well, it's a long story, really." Ximena told her, shrugging. Holly walked over, Krystal and Rus at her side.

"I think we'll have some time." Holly said, grinning.

Ximena rolled her eyes. "Well, I kind of want to tell Jack first. Not even he knows."

"Fair point." Krystal said. "Loyalties first, remember!" With that, she fluttered off to speak with some mini-series.

"At least she's taking her responsibility as the Protector of Loyalty seriously." Holly said, shrugging.

"I don't care about that, much," Ximena muttered, eyeing the minis suspiciously, "I'm more conceded that those minis just seem to appear randomly, like, out of . . thin air, or something."

Holly snorted, and Rus grinned. They just looked at each other for a bit, then Blossom started laughing. Holly cracked up, and Rus was howling with laughter. Ximena finally gave into the hysterical moment, and started snickering. Soon, she was laughing almost as hard as Holly. They were laughing so hard, but Ximena didn't even know why. She figured it was the stress that came from having those you love most put into the kind of danger that made Rus's dad loose his life. Sometimes, she wondered for her own sanity.

Finally, they calmed down, and straightened up. Ximena wiped some tears from her eyes, and saw Holly do the same. Rus's face was red, and Blossom was gasping in air.

"If you're quite done," snorted North from the sleigh, "it is time to go."

Ximena realized that all of the Guardians and Krystal were already inside. Blossom hopped in, and Rus helped Holly in. She thanked him with a peck on the check. Ximena snorted, and leapt up. She landed next to Jack in the back, and smiled at him.

"Hey Xi," he said suddenly. "I've been meaning to do something."

"What?" she asked, suddenly noticing the warmth that radiated off of his body that she could feel because of how close he was.

"This."

**Jack**

He didn't know what gave him such confidence, but whatever it was, it didn't bother him. Not after that.

"This." he had said, then he did it. He leaned in so much closer, her warmth too much for him to resist. The way her body fit so easily to his, her green eyes, her sweet scent, the way her hair fell onto her shoulders . . . Damn, he couldn't help it.

He kissed her deeply, the taste of her on his lips it was . . . indescribable. He was delighted when she leaned into him, pressing herself up against him. He felt her start to kiss him back, and he felt desire swell up within his chest, the passion curling through his very being. He couldn't picture a better way to celebrate their victory, or anyone he would rather celebrate with.

**Ximena**

He kissed her, his lips so sweet against her, that it threw her off for a heartbeat. She had always wanted him to kiss her, but she had never realized that he would feel that good. He leaned in closer, and she was stunned that kissing could overwhelm her senses so fast. His beautiful blue eyes that he closed, the way his hair was so perfectly tousled, the crisp scent that wafted off of him, and the way he held her so surely, so firmly, so gentley. Speak of your sensory overload.

She smiled into him, leaning in to kiss him back. She didn't know how long the kissed, nor did she care. She just kissed him like it was the end of everything they ever knew. Because, in a way, it was.

** THE END**

** I hope you enjoyed! PEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCEE!**


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